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BOYSandGIRLS 



BERTHA JOHNSTON 




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COPYRIGHT DEPOSMV 



HOME OCCUPATIONS 

FOR 

BOYS AND GIRLS 

BY 

BERTHA JOHNSTON 

KDITOR OF THE " KINDERGARTEN MAGAZINE" 



ASSISTED BY 

FANNY CHAPIN 

FORMER KINDERGARTEN DIRECTOR OF THE CHICAGO LATIN SCHOOL 




PHILADELPHIA 

GEORGE W. JACOBS & CO. 

PUBLISHERS 



LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two Copies Received 

OCT 22 1908 

^ CopyrJeht Entry 
CLASS/] CC AXC. No, 



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Copyright, 1908 

By GEORGE W. JACOBS & CO, 

Published October, 1908 



All rights reserved 
Printed in U. S. A. 



Teach him. He is naturally clever. From 
his earliest years, when he was a little fellow 
only so big, he would build mud houses, carve 
out boats, and make little wagons of leather, 
and frogs out of pomegranate rinds, you can 't 
think how cleverly. 

Aristophanes, 421 B. C. 



PREFACE 

The plan of this book has special reference to the 
Mother when comes the woful plaint, "I don't know 
what to do ! Mama, what can I do now ?" 

Is she busy in the kitchen? She has right there 
material for the little one's happy employment. Is she 
mending the stockings ? She can give him needle and 
thread and, with the aid of this book, a word of sug- 
gestion. In spare moments both mother and children 
can together prepare papers, cards, etc., for future 
occasions. 

It will be found upon examination that although 
some of the articles described herein require material 
peculiar to certain localities, very many more may be 
made of things to be found in every home, whether 
the city flat or the remote country homestead. Usu- 
ally a choice is possible. One may use the cardboard, 
paper, etc., saved from the scrap-basket or may send 
to supply houses for material partially prepared. It 
is an undoubted advantage for the child to be trained 
to see the possibilities in the raw material lying at 
hand. It stimulates his inventive imagination and 
makes for efficiency and the power to cope with 
emergencies. 

The child accustomed to looking upon odds and 
ends of wire, paper, weeds, seeds, and grasses as 
hiding delightful secrets which he may learn to un- 
ravel and utilize, may be readily trained to regard 
all Nature as a vast storehouse open to his investiga- 
tion, and a continual source of inspiration. 

The child, habituated to mastering the raw ma- 
terial of his immediate environment, will not be dis- 
comfited if thrown upon an tmknown shore, whether 
arctic or tropical. He will recognize everywhere 

5 



6 Preface 

about him possibilities for shelter, food, clothing", and 
transportation and will know how to use them. 

But the child must be trained to perceive the 
beautiful and the ideal as well as the useful. Into 
each article here described, even the simplest, enter 
the elements of beauty, proportion, harmony of line 
and color, and good, true workmanship, leading surely, 
even if unconsciously, to an appreciation of the best 
wherever found. 

In making an article as a gift for child or adult, 
thought for others is cultivated and the frequently 
needed help of older brother or sister encourages the 
spirit of goodwill and kindliness. 

The festival occasions are especially valuable in 
developing the sense of interdependence and large- 
mindedness. 

Among a people proverbially wasteful it is cer- 
tainly the part of wisdom to train the child to economy 
for the sake of future service. The contents of the 
city garbage barrel are found by business men to be 
worth sorting and classifying and everything proves 
to be of some use. Why should not the child be 
taught, before throwing away the discarded picture 
book, to ask if there is not a use for it still ? A nation 
so trained will preserve its forests and save its 
Niagaras. It will see things material and things 
spiritual in their true relations. 

We would suggest that a little cupboard be placed 
within easy reach of the child. Here he may keep 
his own scissors, paste, pencil and papers, ready 
for use when the propitious moment of inspiration 
seizes him. 

Too much exactness must not be required of the 
very young child, but as fast as he is able to do good 
work insist upon the best of which he is capable. 



Preface 7 

Train him always to try to surpass himself. Above 
all, let him be happy in the doing. 

The ideas offered in this volume have been gar- 
nered from various sources. Practical experience in 
the home has suggested many, and actual daily work 
in the kindergarten has given rise to others. A few, 
such as the thimble biscuit party and croquet with 
peas, are among the recollections of happy childhood. 

It is a pleasure to acknowledge the obligation to 
Miss Fanny Chapin, of Chicago, a kindergartner of 
long experience, for the comradeship of thought which 
made the book possible. Miss Chapin also con- 
tributed the directions for making feather flowers, 
many of the holiday suggestions, and other items scat- 
tered through the book. 

The conversion of corks into a set of furniture 
was learned from a German playmate twenty-five 
years ago. Imagine the interest with which we dis- 
covered a set, almost identical, at the German exhibit 
of the recent International Kindergarten Union. 

The candlesticks of tin or cardboard, brightened 
with colored tissue-paper, varied to suit particular 
occasions, is a regular feature of the festival dinners 
at the Gertrude House, Chicago. 

To one and all to whom^ consciously or uncon- 
sciously, we may be indebted for any suggestions, we 
express our thanks. 

A perusal of this little volume will show that it is 
far from exhaustive of the topics treated. It is largely 
a book of sup-gestion. If it stimulates the child to 
new investigations and experiments along similar 
lines ; if it reinforces the spirit of brotherly kindness 
in the home ; or if it helps to solve any of the 
problems of the mother, the hopes of the authors will 
be accomplished. Bertha Johnston. 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

I. The Secrets of the Market Basket ii 

11. Mother Nature's Horn of Plenty 39 

III. Saved from the Scrap Basket 53 

IV. The Sewing-Basket 69 

V. The Pamt Box 73 

VI. Dolls and Doll-Houses 80 

VII. Plays and Games 92 

"VIII. Festival Occasions 107 

IX. The Key Basket 141 

X. The Child's Library 149 

XL Kindergarten Materials — The Gifts 155 

XIL " " —The Occupations. 164 



CHAPTER I 

THE SECRETS OF THE MARKET BASKET 

The busy but thoughtful mother will find in the 
contents of the market basket many possibilities for 
happily employing the creative instinct of her child. 
We give a few suggestions which demand activity of 
both mind and body. 

STRAWBERRY-BOXES 

Seed-Markers (No tools needed but the iingers) 

Remove the rim of wood which binds the box 
into shape, that the little tacks may not injure the 
child. Then let him tear the sides and bottom into 
little slats which can be used as seed-markers. Older 
children can write upon them the names of seeds, and 
when planted put one of these slats into the ground 
to indicate where the seeds may be expected to 
come up. 

The little child enjoys the sense of power that he 
feels simply in being able to tear these boxes apart, 
but let there be a thought back of the action if it 
seem to degenerate into pure destructiveness. 

Toy-Fences {Employing fingers only) 

Split the boxes with the fingers into pieces wide 
or narrow, as desired, and the slats thus made can be 
turned into fences for the play farm in the sand-box, 
or for borders for small flower beds. ( i ) Stick them 

11 



12 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

into the sand or earth side by side, to suggest a plain 
board fence; or (2) Put very narrov/ ones at short 
intervals apart to suggest a picket fence. 

Toy-Fences (Scissors, tacks) 

If old enough to use scissors, let the child cut the 
boxes apart with long scissors and use for fences as 
before, (i) Side by side for board fence. (2) Cut 
into very narrow strips for picket fence. Use the rim 
of the basket for the rail to unite the pickets, fastening 
them with the tiny tacks which are already in it. 
Pickets might be one inch apart. Cutting the tops of 
the pickets into points will complete the resemblance to 
a real fence. Put the rails about one-half inch from 
top. 

Boxes for tacks, seeds, etc. (Scissors, paste, paste- 
sticks, ribbon, Sy^ inches long, i^ inches wide, 
ivall-paper, pan with ivater) 

Take two pieces of a box, each measuring 2x5 
inches. Soak in water till soft. Place one directly 
across the middle of the other, and bend the four 
projecting ends up perpendicularly into box form, 
(i) Hold the sides in place by winding the ribbon 
around the four sides, till they meet, and paste the one 
overlapping end over the other. (2) Cut a piece of 
wall-paper (obtainable often from a wall-hanger's 
shop) into a strip 1}^ x 8^ inches and wind around, 
pasting one end over the other. If the child is inex- 
perienced the paper may be cut of exactly the height 
of box. If skillful in so doing, let him cut the strip 
^2 inch wider and turn down over the top to give a 
little finish. This gives practice in neatness and skill. 
Let the child observe how a Swedish matchbox 
is made — the wood held together by strips of thin but 



The Secrets of the Market Basket 13 

tough paper — and then carry his thought to the far- 
distant land which sends us the magic wands that 
give us Hght with safety. And all carried in a tiny 
box made of wood and paper. Decalcomanias might 
be used for decoration of the plain wooden box. 

Let the child experiment in making boxes of 
different shapes and sizes for his collections of seeds, 
stones, etc. This cultivates his ingenuity and practical 
imagination. 

Picture Frames (Scissors, thumb-tacks, gold paint, 

zvater-colors, glue) 

Cut three slats, each 1x8 inches, to make triangu- 
lar frame. Unite with thumb-tacks, one at each of the 
three corners. To place them exactly the right way 
may take a little experimenting, which helps develop 
the child's sense of proportion and arrangement. 
When joined, cut off the projecting parts at the top 
to give pointed effect. Good for pictures of Indians, 
as wigwam is suggested. Decorate by gilding or 
painting. Can be painted with Ivory paints or water- 
colors. 

Chicken-Coops (Scissors, glue) 

Remove the rim, bottom (in one piece) and two 
adjoining sides of a berry box. This leaves two sides 
remaining which are already bent into correct form 
for coop. Cut the bottom of the box in half from 
corner to corner. This gives the triangular back of 
the coop which must be glued on. The slats must 
now be made and put into place. Cut three slats each 
}i inches wide, (i) In each of the two front edges 
of the coop cut three horizontal slits j4, inches deep ; 
slip the slats into these and cut off the projecting ends. 
The slats at the top will necessarily be shorter than 



14 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

those at the bottom. (2) Or an older child can cut in 
each of the two edges 3 notches % inches deep and 
^ inches high and glue the slats into these, thus : 




Chicken- Coop. 

Paste-Sticks {Boxes, scissors) 

Cut sides of boxes into slender pieces which can be 
put aside and used for paste-sticks when pasting is 
the order of the day. They will prove to be better 
than brushes. 

Wagon (Thumb-tacks, button-molds, skewers, glue, 

small, slender nails) 

Take two boxes. Remove rims. Bend down one 
side of each of the boxes so that it is horizontal. Lap 
one of these exactly over the other and join with 
thumb-tacks. This makes the body of coal wagon. 
For wheels use (i) large wooden button-molds or (2) 
the cardboard circles round which ribbons come. 
Make axles of skewers. Glue axle to bottom of wag- 
on, slip on the wheels and insert small, slender nail 
to keep wheel from coming of¥. If skewers are not 
at hand whittle a slender piece from a stick of kindling 
wood, whittling the ends until slender enough for the 
wheels to slip on. Paint spokes on the wheels and 
paint the wagon, using any paint at hand. 



The Secrets of the Market Basket 15 

Candy-Boxes ) {Fancy paper, crinkled-paper or 
Button-Boxes | silk, glue, paint) 

Take a berry-box and dye with Diamond dyes. 
Line it with crinkled paper or dainty flowered wall- 
paper or silk. To do this, fold the paper or silk one 
inch over on itself from the top, for hem. Gather or 
pleat the silk near the top with silk of same color and 
glue to the inner side of the basket near the top, leav- 
ing a little projecting edge for ruffle. Leave the 
lower ends free. The silk should be two inches 
wider than the depth of the basket and one and one- 
third times as long as the four sides of the. basket. 
Now take a square of cardboard the size of the bot- 
tom of the basket and cover it smoothly with a square 
of silk, folding the silk neatly over the sides and catch- 
ing it across so as to be smooth on the right side. Put 
this silk square down in the bottom of the basket and 
it will hold the sides of the lining firm. A basket 
may be lined with paper in the same way, using glue 
to hold it in place. As paper can not very well be 
gathered, the top may be glued down smoothly or the 
paper may be pleated. 

Hanging-Basket {Lead from tea-box, ribbon or wire, 

earth, seeds) 

Line a berry box with the lead, fill with good earth 
and plant vines or flower-seeds. Suspend by ribbon 
or wire. 

Dolls' Furniture {Spools, scissors, glue) 

1. Table. — Make a table by cutting a slat from a 
basket into an oblong 2x3 inches and glue to spool 
for dining-table. 

2. Bed. — Soak a few moments and when flexible 
cut an oblong 2x6 inches and bend one end up i^ 



i6 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

inches to form head of bed. Bend the other end up 
3^ inch to form the foot. Glue two spools to the bot- 
tom of this for legs, one at each end. 

3. Chair.— Make chairs for the same set by cut- 
ting a piece of the box to measure 1x2 inches. Bend 
across the middle so that a right angle is formed and 
glue one side to a spool. The other half forms the 
back of the chair. Such furniture may be colored 
with dyes or Ivory paints. 



PEAS 

Shelling Peas (Tin pans) 

Let the child help Mother to shell the peas for 
dinner. Children enjoy work of this kind when co- 
operating with the mother or father. They like to do 
what Mother is doing when she is doing it too. This 
will be an excellent time to tell Hans Andersen's story 
of the '*Five Peas that Dwelt in a Pod". As a reward 
let the child plant a few peas in a box or out-of-doors! 

Pea-Pod Boat (Pan of water, peapods) 

Give a small child a dish-pan filled with water 
and a peapod for a boat, with peas for passengers 
and he will entertain himself for a long time. Let the 
frequency with which he is allowed this privilege de- 
pend upon his care in keeping himself and his sur- 
roundings dry, thus leading to neatness and self-con- 
trol. 

Pea Furniture (See chapter on kindergarten occupa- 
tions) 



The Secrets of the Market Basket 17 

Numeral Frame or Abacus (Hair-mire, cardboard 

stationery box) 

Get ten slender pieces of wire about six inches long-. 
Put one pea on the first, two on the second, three on 
the third, etc., until you reach the last, on which place 
ten. Take an empty stationery box, and cut away the 
bottom leaving the four sides intact as a frame. Into 
this frame insert the ten wires, the one with one pea 
at the top, then No. 2, 3, etc. The child can then prac- 
tice counting the diiiferent combinations up to ten. 

Instead of pleas such a series of units could be 
made by stringing cranberries or rose-haws on a 
waxed thread. 

POTATOES AND SQUASH 

Potato Horse (Three potatoes, slender sticks or 
tooth-picks, raveled string or coarse black thread) 
Take large potato for body of horse, a smaller one 
for the neck, and another for the head. Join them 
with sticks broken to convenient length. Four other 
sticks make the legs, two little ones the ears and the 
string or thread the flowing tail. The tail can be at- 
tached to a tack or pin and inserted. 

Squash or Sweet Potato Animals (Crooked-neck 
squash or sweet potato for each animal, slender 
sticks) 

Insert sticks for legs into crooked-neck squashes 
and convert into animals of various kinds, the kind 
depending upon the size of the neck and general shape. 
Sweet potatoes by their queer shapes will often suggest 
animals : pigs, dogs, etc., or ducks, swans, ostriches, 
and birds. Use tacks or shoe buttons for eyes. Dolls 
can be made also. 



1 8 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 



CORN HUSKS— GREEN 

Mat (Husks, needle, thread) 

Take four smooth husks and press between blot- 
ting- paper for 24 hours. Then tear into }i inch 
strips. Lay eight of these on the table. Take eight 
more and weave these under and over the first eight, 
making mat for doll-house. Put again between blot- 
ters. The next day, slide the strips together till they 
lie smooth and even, and close together. Fasten by 
sewing the outside strips lightly to the interlacing 
ones. Cut the extending parts off about one inch from 
outside strips. 

Feathers (Husks, scissors) 

Take a dozen leaves of the husks ; cut slits slant- 
wise down the edges about }i inch apart. Let dry 24 
hours. Then use as feathers for Indian head dress, 
using design on copper cent as model. 



CORN-COBS— DRY 

Corn-Crib (Cobs, hammer, nails, cover of starch-box) 
To a small piece of thin wood like the cover of a 
starch-box nail four short cobs of equal length for 
legs (half an inch or an inch long). Around the four 
sides, on top, nail a row of slender cobs for the walls 
of the corn crib. Make roof of cobs or lay a piece of 
cardboard across. Nail from below, through the 
board. It will require a little thought to determine 
just where the nail must go in order to run through 
the board and into the cob above, but tell the child 
that he is a little carpenter and must make careful 



The Secrets of the Market Basket 19 

measurements. Ask if he can think why the crib is 
raised thus from the ground. (To preserve the corn 
from the rats and mice.) 

Toy-Raft (Cobs, rim of berry-box, tacks) 

Lay six or more cobs of equal length side by 
side upon the table. Take a piece of binding-rim of 
a berry-box as long as the row of cobs is wide. Lay 
it across the row near one end and nail it fast to each 
cob. Nail a similar piece across the other end. This 
will make a serviceable toy-raft. Stick in a skewer 
for a mast and make a sail-boat. Paste on the mast a 
triangular piece of paper or muslin for a sail. 

Zig-Zag Fence (Cobs only) 

Lay down half a dozen cobs in zigzag fashion, 
with their ends not quite as far apart as the length of 
the cobs. Then across every two ends lay another cob, 
and so build up the fence. 

Post-Fence (Cobs, tacks, skewers, slats) 

Lay several. cobs in a row a few inches apart as 
posts. Unite them by laying across them two rows 
of skewers or kindergarten slats. Join with tiny tacks. 
Use in the sand-table or dolls' farm. 

House (Cobs, nails) 

(1) Take two cobs and place them opposite to 
each other. Place two others across the ends of the 
first two, at right angles to them. Then two more 
directly over the first two and so on, building up 
alternately for log cabin. This is the first simple 
building experiment of the little child. Two such 
cabins put together will make a two-roomed house. 
Thus made it will be crude with wide interstices be- 



20 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

tween the logs, but this forms no objection to the 
child. 

(2) When he does manifest the desire for some- 
thing better made — a house which will not admit the 
rain and snow — a more solid house can be made thus : 
Place three cobs end to end to form three sides of a 
square. Directly upon these lay three more, and nail 
firmly to those beneath at the ends, with slender nails. 
Build up in this way as high as desirable. One side 
has, however, been left open. Now put in the fourth 
wall but leave place for the doorway. Do this by 
making the lower part of the wall of cobs so short that 
they do not even go half v/ay across the opening. 
Take two such short cobs and nail each to the side of 
the house. A little space will be left between them, 
say of two inches. Take two more of same length and 
place on top of the first two and nail in place. The 
third cob may be long enough to extend straight 
across the little house making the top of the doorway. 
Put another and another on top until the last row is 
reached. Roof with similar logs or with cardboard. 
The child can be trained a little in forethought when 
led to save anything like corncobs for possible use in 
the future. 

Furniture (4 short cobs, 4 long slender ones, tacks'^ 
cheesecloth, fine cord, cotton hatting) 
Take four short cobs for sturdy legs. Nail to 
these four slender cobs for bed-frame. In the inner 
part of the long sides of the bed hammer small taqks 
about % inches apart. Then string cord from one 
tack across to the opposite one and so on, to make 
springs. Make mattress of cheesecloth stuffed with 
cotton. Other furniture can easily be made in similar 
manner. 



The Secrets of the Market Basket 2 1 

In this work, as with other suggestions here given, 
older children will need to help younger ones and thus 
the spirit of helpfulness and sympathy is exercised. 



CORN KERNELS— DRY 

Portieres (Kernels of corn, straws, needle, coarse 

thread, pan) 

Soak corn in pan of water over night or till soft. 
Get inch-long pieces of straw at kindergarten supply 
store, or, if obtainable in the country, get the straws 
entire and let the children cut them into inch pieces. 
In all this work it is desirable to let the child do as 
much as possible himself. Later, when familiar with 
materials and simple processes, let him use the pre- 
pared bought material. 

Now, let him string the corn and straws alter- 
nately. He can then vary by stringing first one kernel 
and one straw; then two kernels and one straw; then 
three, etc. This gives practice in counting, and ex- 
ercises also his sense of taste and proportion and his 
invention. A pretty effect can be secured by using 
kernels of the two colors, red and yellow. 

Suspend a number of such strings in the door- 
way; they may be all of the same length or may be 
very short in the middle of the doorway and gradually 
get longer as the jamb is approached. 

Designing {Red and yellow kernels) 

On a rainy day let the child employ his inventive 
skill in making designs of the red and yellow kernels 
on a flat table. He can lay them in squares, oblongs, 
crosses, etc. 



22 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 



POP-CORN 

There are few American children who need to 
be told how to pop corn; they see it done before they 
are able to do it themselves. But this fascinating oc- 
cupation is not known to many children outside of the 
United States. Perhaps it is well that our children 
should appreciate their privilege in this respect. 

If a popper is unobtainable, corn can be quickly 
and deliciously popped by putting a tablespoonful of 
butter in a deep kettle and when it is hot dropping in a 
cupful of popcorn. Shake or rather stir to keep from 
burning and in a short time the kettle will be full of 
the white popping fairy-like kernels. Salt or sugar 
can be sprinkled in as desired. 

Balls (Corn, popper, sugar, molasses or water) 

Make a thin syrup by boiling together equal 
quantities of sugar and water or two cupfuls sugar, 
one of molasses or syrup, one teaspoonful vinegar, and 
butter size of an Qgg. Cook until it hardens when 
dropped in water, then pour it over 8 quarts of popped 
corn as quickly as possible and mold into balls, making 
about twenty. If made with strawberry syrup the 
color will be a beautiful red. . 

Festoons {Popped corn, needle, coarse thread) 

Thread the kernels to adorn walls or picture 
frames or Christmas tree. 

NUTS 

Boat (Walnut shell, pan of water, toothpicks, candle- 
zvax) 
When busy with her baking the mother can give 



The Secrets of the Market Basket 23 

the three-year-old in his high chair a half walnut 
shell for a boat. An older child can elaborate into a 
sail-boat by cutting a triangular piece of paper for 
a sail, glueing it to a toothpick for mast, and then 
melting a drop of wax from a candle and inserting 
the mast while the wax is still warm. A burnt match 
can be shaped into a mast also. 

Such a fleet of tiny vessels would prettily set a 
table for a farewell dinner to one going abroad. 

Surprise Walnuts (English walnuts, baby-ribbon, 

tiny dolls or animals, glue) 

Open a number of walnuts carefully so as not to 
break the shell. Remove the meats and fasten the two 
sides together with a tiny strip of ribbon, which serves 
as a hinge, glueing the ends of the ribbon to the in- 
side of the half shells. Ribbon need be only an inch 
long or less. Put a tiny doll or a wee china rabbit or 
kitten inside the shell and tie around with ribbon. 
Little china animals come in sets of five or six. 

A little verse of greeting or a conundrum can be 
written and put inside if the toys are not available. 

A group of little children could be kept busy and 
happy for an afternoon making some of these little 
souvenirs for a home dinner or for a fair. 

Nut-Animals (Peanuts, toothpicks) 

The imagination of most children will quickly 
perceive resemblances to all kinds of creatures in 
the queer shapes of peanuts. Take such a peanut 
and stick into it four bits of toothpicks for legs and 
two tiny ones for ears. If the toothpicks are not 
sharp or strong enough to penetrate of themselves, 
make incisions with a sharp pin. 

One common shape suggests a cat, seated. Two 



24 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

vertical pieces would make the front legs and two 
horizontal pieces the back legs resting on the ground. 
Eyes and mouth can be inked in. Another shape 
hints at an owl with sharp, curved beak. Another 
will make a hen. Once started on this line of experi- 
ment, the child will discover likenesses for himself. 
These creatures can be used in the toy farm. 

Peanut party {See page lo^) 



APPLES 

Candlestick {Apple, candle) 

Cut in the top of a rosy apple a hole of right 
size to hold a candle. Appropriate for Thanksgiving. 

A carrot can also be used thus, but a part must 
be cut away at the bottom so as to secure a firm 
base. 

ORANGES 

Baskets {Orange, smaller fruits) 

Cut an orange horizontally partly through the 
middle from each side so as to leave a part in the 
centre which can be cut into a handle. Hollow out 
the interior and put raisins, small nuts, etc., in it. 



RED PEPPERS 

Lantern {Large red pepper, knife) 

Hollow out a large red pepper and cut into it 
eyes, nose and mouth, making a miniature Jack-o'- 
lantern. This makes a pretty table decoration. 



The Secrets of the Market Basket 25 

Let the child help as much as possible by making 
these little table decorations. If you want boy and 
girl to love home, give them a share in making it in- 
teresting and attractive. Do not discourage them if 
their efforts are a little crude at times. It is the 
spirit of good-will which makes the blessed home. 



EGG-SHELLS 

Garden (Shell, earth, birdseed) 

Cut an egg-shell in half horizontally, with a sharp 
pair of scissors, and three days before Easter put into 
it a little earth, place in this a little canary seed, or 
a single pea or bean, and a little plant will delight the 
child. 

Doll's Cradle (Shell, ribbon half an inch wide, paste, 

cardboard) 

Take a smooth white egg and blow it. To do 
this make a tiny pin-hole in each end, and by blowing 
into one end steadily the contents can be emptied out 
of the other. Draw lines lengthwise and crosswise 
around the shell, dividing it into four equal parts. 
Then, following the line, cut away the upper quarter 
toward the small end. This leaves a cradle with a 
small canopy. Paste the ribbon neatly around for a 
binding round the edge. Rockers can be made by 
cutting curved pieces ^ inch wide out of thick card- 
board, although such a cradle will rock without rock- 
ers. 

Mattress for above. (Thin white ribbon, milk- 
weed doivn, needle, sewing silk) 

Cut and sew the ribbon into a tiny mattress for 
this fairy cradle, and stuff with milkweed down. If 



26 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

the ribbon is just the width of the cradle the edges 
of the mattress can be neatly overcast. A tiny doll 
may then be placed within the cradle. 

Boat (Goose-egg, leatherette paper, kindergarten 

slats) 

Blow the egg as described above. Cut in half 
lengthwise. Cut the paper into strips l4 inch wide. 
In each side of the shell cut an indentation }i inches 
deep and ^ inches wide for oarlocks. Then bind 
neatly with the paper strips. Cut the slats (or a 
piece of berry box will do) into tiny oars and paste 
a seat across, which is also cut out of a slat. 

Careful handling is required for these dainty 
toys, and if the child seems to get nervous let her do 
only a little at a time; but much neatness and skill 
is exercised in the making, and it is good practice for 
older children. The wise mother soon learns to de- 
tect the difference between the poor work which is 
the result of pure nervousness and that which is the 
consequence of carelessness. The latter should never 
be permitted to stand. See to it that what the child 
does is up to his best capacity. 

Humpty-Dumpty Eggs (Shell, shot, water-color 
paints, a hit of cotton-hatting, and a hit of tough 
paper) 

Take a shell and empty of contents as described 
above. Enlarge the hole at one end sufficiently to 
drop in a dozen tiny shot obtainable at hardware 
store. Paste over the opening the bit of paper, and 
on that a little cotton to simulate hair. Paint upon 
the surface eyes, nose, and mouth. A comical litle 
toy which always regains its balance, however placed, 
is the result. In playing with this the child uncon- 



The Secrets of the Market Basket 27 

sciousl}^ imbibes a few ideas about equilibrium, equi- 
poise, etc. Tell him you want him to be a man that, 
however placed, will always be able to get upon his 
feet again. 

Foot-ball, or rather it might be called Breath-ball 

(Egg-shell, water-color paints) 

Take an empty shell and paint to resemble a foot- 
ball or in some college or High School colors. See 
page 99 for directions for game. 

Toy Lamp (See under Doll-Houses) 



PRUNES AND RAISINS 

Turtle (Raisin and five cloves) 

Take a plump raisin and stick into it five cloves 
for head and legs. 

Man (Raisins or prunes, toothpicks) 

Make a man by running a toothpick through 
three raisins for a body. Into the top one stick two 
other toothpicks, with two raisins each for arms and 
two other toothpicks with raisins make the legs. Each 
leg has a projecting raisin for a foot and another 
large raisin makes the head. These are fun-makers 
for a children's party, one at each plate. 



SEEDS 

Stringing (Squash seeds — dried, strong thread, nee- 
dle) 
Little children can be happily occupied making 



28 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

chains of squash, pumpkin, and water-melon seeds 
that have been saved and made soft by soaking 
awhile in water. The black seeds of the water-melon 
alternate prettily with the white seeds of the other 
gourds. Variety can be introduced by stringing sev- 
eral of one color and then several of another, counting 
by twos, threes, etc. This gives exercise in counting, 
in pleasing grouping of colors, and so exercises both 
the invention and the taste of the very little child. 

Designing (Black seeds, zvhite seeds) 

Let the child make designs of the seeds upon 
the table. Place a black one for a centre and a white 
one on each side. Repeat this figure for a foot or more, 
placing the groups an inch apart and observe the 
effect. Tell him thus to make a design for the frieze 
of the room. Another effect is produced by placing 
a white seed as a centre and placing four or five 
around it. Vary still further by placing a circle of 
black seeds around the whole. These few examples 
will serve to indicate the endless variety that can be 
secured, and is a training in invention and taste. Let 
the child always have in mind a design for some par- 
ticular purpose, as of wall-paper, oil-cloth, etc. Lead 
him to observe similar effects in carpets, wall-paper, 
etc. The best of these attempts can be made com- 
paratively permanent by pasting upon small sheets 
of tinted bristol-board. The chief value in preserv- 
ing any such work is for purposes of comparison as 
the child improves. 

Counters 

Save out 24 white and 24 black seeds for coun- 
ters in checkers, go-bang, etc. 



The Secrets of the Market Basket 29 



Squash-Seed Chicken (^5 seeds, white thread, two 

quill toothpicks, bit of red flannel, feather from 

duster) 

Take 25 squash seeds and soak till soft. Take 
five of these and place side by side with pointed ends 
up. Above these place four, their 
wide ends coming between the points 
of the others. Above these place 
three in the same relative position. 
Above these put two, and above these 
and between them place the squash- 
seed which is to be the head of the 
chicken. 

Now, beneath the original five, 
place four, pointed ends up; beneath 
these put three, then two, then one. 
If these are rightly placed, the pointed 
ends of one row come just at the 
sides of the wide end of the seeds 
above. 

Run a thread through the lower 
end of the two and the upper end of 
the three ; then through the lower end 
of three and the upper end of the 
four; continue thus till all have been 
united. The result thus far will be a 
double pyramid of the seeds. Draw 
an eye in the middle of the head, 
paste or sew on a bit of quill for a 
bill and a bit of flannel for a comb. 
Attach a few feathers from the 
duster for a tail. Take two more seeds and sew to 
the middle of the row of Hve for the thigh of the legs, 
and to each sew a quill for the rest of the legs, cutting 
into points at one end for toes. 




How to String 
the Seeds. 



30 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 




Squash-Seed Chicken. 

Make another chicken like the above and sus- 
pend the two face to face upon a slender stick by run- 
ning a thread through the head and one through the 
tail. When the stick is moved the chickens assume 
very realistic attitudes. A comical toy, made with 
no expense save that of time and patience. (See 
illustrations.) 

Pincushion or Penwiper (Five plump apple-seeds, 
sharp pen-knife, black thread, stiff card, square 
of muslin, emery or cotton batting) 
Save out five seeds, and cut the cuticle of the 

large end into two tiny points to simulate the ears 



The Secrets of the Market Basket 31 

of a mouse. Knot the thread and run a tiny bit 
through for a tail. Paste these upon a visiting card, 
and near them paste a tiny bag made of white musHn 
to simulate a flour-bag. It can be stuffed with cot- 
ton or with emery for needles or pins. Or the card 
can be sewn upon several layers of cloth as decoration 
for a penwiper. 

Imitation Water 

Muskmelon seeds placed in an undulating line 
in the sand-box suggest water. 



SOAP 

Hammering (Old-fashioned bar soap, hammer, nails) 
A wee child will entertain himself for a long time 
by hammering nails into a bar of soap if the proper 
tools be given him. In this simple activity he exer- 
cises both mind and body. It requires good coordi- 
nation on the part of the little one to strike the nail 
just right, and he enjoys not only the exercise itself, 
but also the pleasure of imitating the carpenter who 
uses the hammer so skilfully. 

Drawing (White soap, window-pane) 

On a day when he must stay indoors, give your 
child a piece of white soap and let him show you what 
he can draw upon the window-pane. Ships and trees, 
houses and flowers have a fairy-like appearance when 
drawn with this commonplace material upon the im- 
promptu background of glass. This allows the free- 
dom of movement found in blackboard work. It 
gives scope to the child's imaginative powers and 
should add nothing to the housekeeper's cares, being 



32 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

readily removed with a damp cloth. It may reveal 
creative possibilities in some otherwise "mute, in- 
glorious" artist. 

CEREAL BOXES 

Moving- Van (Cereal-box, glue, two skewers, 4 but- 
ton-molds, 4 nails or strong pins) 
Take a box (Quaker Oats or Force, etc.). Cut 
out doors and side openings for a moving-van. It 
may be well to draw these first. For a model, look 
at any van or grocer's wagon. It will be seen that 
models are numerous and various. If more explicit 
directions are required we give the following, al- 
though it is always well to have the child use his own 
mind as far as possible before going to others for 
ideas. 

Remove the top of the box, which becomes the 
front of the wagon. The bottom of the box will be 
the back of the wagon. This bottom will be found 
to consist of two layers of cardboard. Remove the 
outer one and cut the inner one once through the 
middle to make two doors. On each side of the 
wagon cut an oblong window % inch from the top, 
J/2 inch from the bottom, and i/^ inch from the front. 
Let it be two inches wide. Place a seat across from 
one window to the other; fasten with glue. It may 
be just a straight piece one inch wide, or may be two 
inches wide, folded once through the middle length- 
wise to give a back. 

For wheels use wooden button-molds, two inches 
wide, or circles sawed from a broom handle. For 
axles use wooden skewers or cut a piece from a stick 
of kindling wood about >4 inch wide. Whittle the 
ends till they are slender enough to hold the button- 



The Secrets of the Market Basket 33 

molds. Then put on the wheels, inserting a slender 
nail or pin outside to keep them from coming off the 
axle. Glue the axle to the box. If wheels are cut 
from broom-handle, a nail can be driven through the 
centre for an axle and then pushed into the side of 
the box, or a nail pushed through a button-mold 
directly into the box will hold. 

Punch two holes into the front of the wagon, 
tie cord through and the wagon can be drawn along. 
It may be painted if desired. For horses, trace a 
picture of a horse from some book or advertisement 
on cardboard, cut out and harness to wagon. 

Lantern (Box, scissors, candle, pencil) 

Draw on the box holes to represent eyes, nose 
and mouth. Then cut these out. Cut holes near the 
top of box to put wires through for carrying the 
box. Use a wire about two feet long, put the ends 
through the holes and bend up. Let a little of the 
wax drip from the end of the candle to the bottom 
of the inside of the box, and when a soft centre has 
been made push the candle down and it will stand 
firm. Only older children should use these, lest harm 
result. But children do make them at election times 
for transparencies. The openings may be lined with 
colored tissue paper. 

House (Cereal box, paste, scissors, wall-paper, etc.) 

Remove one broad side. Stand box on one long 
narrow side as room of doll's house. Cut an opening 
in the remaining broad side for a window. Furnish 
with paper furniture. (See page 85.) 



34 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 



EDAM CHEESE 

Lantern {Cheese, knife, candle) 

After the interior of one of these round, red 
cheeses has been scooped out and eaten by the family, 
the discarded red shell will make a fine Jack-o'-lan- 
tern, if the proper holes for eyes, nose and mouth be 
cut into it and a candle inserted inside. The candle 
may be inserted in a socket cut into the bottom of 
the rind, or it may be made to stand firmly in a bed 
of wax or tallow melted from its own lower end. 

SALT 

Play for Baby {Fine table salt, spoon, bottle, small 

box or pan) 

If clean fine sand is not at the moment available, 
give the baby a box containing- a heap of salt and a 
teaspoon and bottle, and he will be happy for a long- 
time, passing the salt from one bottle or box to an- 
other. To the young mother this may seem akin to 
foolishness, but in thus playing simply with sand or 
with salt the baby is exercising faculties and working 
out baby problems which he should be given oppor- 
tunity to try. He is becoming acquainted with his 
environment, his little world. 

TIN CANS 

Burnt-Match Safe {Mustard box, oil paints, brush, 

ribbon, nail, hammer) 

Punch two holes near the upper edge of a dis- 
carded mustard box, the holes to , be opposite each 
other. These may be made by hammering a nail 



The Secrets of the Market Basket 35 

through the tin, holding the box firmly against a 
block of wood or stone for pressure. 

With oil paints, one color, begin at the top to 
paint the box, graduating from light to darker tones 
as the bottom is approached. Lighter tones may be 
secured by mixing the blue or red with Chinese white. 
A flower design may be painted by one skilled in 
the use of the brush. 

Tie ribbon through the holes by which to sus- 
pend the box, and the result is an article both useful 
and pretty. 

Flower-Pot (Can, ivory paints, brush) 

Paint an empty can with green or brown ivory 
paint and use as flower-pot for growing plant. Chil- 
dren love to handle a paint-brush, and this offers a 
legitimate occasion for such occupation. A small hole 
should be punched in bottom of can for drainage. 

Hanging-Basket (Can, nail, hammer, cord, raifla) 
Punch holes for suspending as described above. 
Then make a covering of rafiia as explained on page 
46 and hang up by the cord. 

Wheels (Covers of baking-pozvder tins, nail, hammer) 
With the nail, hammer a hole through the centre of 
the cover, placing upon a stone step or other brace. 
The little wheels may be used to complete toy wagons 
that the child is making. 

TIN FOIL 

Toy Dishes (Tin foil from cream-cheese zm-appers, 

etc.) 

Take the tin foil, and by simple squeezing and 
pressing and shaping, a little practice will enable one 



36 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

to make it into tiny pitchers, goblets, pans, etc., for 
dolly's table. 

Toy Mirror (Tin foil, scissors) 

Smooth carefully with the fingers and cut a piece 
of the tin foil into the shape and size to fit a little 
cardboard bureau. 

A larger piece will simulate water in the sand- 
box park. 

Toy Money (Tin foil, coin, scissors) 

Smooth the tin foil with the thumb nail, place a 
cent or a nickel beneath, and press and smooth again, 
making an impression of the coin that may be cut 
out and used in playing store. 

Toy Cutlery (Tin foil, scissors) 

Cut tiny knives, forks and spoons out of the tin 
foil for the paper-dolls' table. 



CORK 

Save all corks and they may be used in a variety 
of ways. 

Toy Raft (Cork, zvire or hairpins) 

Run several corks on a piece of wire to resemble 
a log; make several such and then tie together to 
make a raft, tying between the corks. 

Toy Boat (Circular Hat cork, tacks, wire, toothpick, 

paper) 

Insert a toothpick in one of the large flat corks 
that sometimes cover pickle glasses. Paste a paper 
triangle upon this for a sail and set afloat in a dish- 
pan sea. 



The Secrets of the Market Basket 37 

Flower-Rack (Flat cork, pencil) 

Take a flat piece of cork such as is used by ento- 
mologists upon which to impale insects, or any flat, 
thiji piece of cork will do if several inches in diameter. 
Such cork may be easily perforated by a slender pen- 
cil. Make a number of perforations several inches 
apart, and then the cork may rest upon a water-filled 
saucer or other deep dish, and the stalks of single 
flowers may be inserted into the holes so that they are 
supported by the cork. 

Furniture (Circular corks, pins, worsted of pleasing 

color, cashmere or silk goods) 

Into the upper side of a round cork about one 
inch in diameter insert five to seven pins. Twist and 
weave the worsted in and out, tmder and over those 
pins, so as to make a firm, solid back to a little chair. 
The ends of the worsted may be neatly disposed of 
by threading on a needle and running in and out for 
a few stitches till concealed. 

For legs, insert four strong pins, and wind these 
round and round with the worsted, finishing neatly 
by running with a needle in and out. 

If the seat seems too plain it may first, before 
the chair is made, be covered with silk or cashmere. 
To do this cut the cloth into a circle somewhat larger 
than the diameter of the cork. Run a gathering 
thread around the circumference, and putting the 
cork in the centre draw the thread and so gather be- 
neath the seat. To make a really neat finish the edge 
should be turned in before gathering. 

Swimming-Float (Dozens of corks, strong canvas 
cloth, measuring 20 x jd inches, needle, thread) 
Make two strong canvas bags, measuring about 



2,S Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

i8 X 20 inches. Fill these with corks to act as floats. 
Unite the two bags by a strong band of canvas about 
7 X 20 inches in size, and let the children use when 
in bathing. 

Cork in Art 

In making models of world-renowned buildings, 
such as churches, cathedrals, temples, etc., cork is 
used in large and small pieces. 

In Germany it is used in making pictures. A 
sky background is painted in in water-color, and the 
flat pieces of cork are cut into shape and glued on 
to represent walls and towers of buildings. The 
foliage of trees is represented by the more spongy 
pieces of cork, and the effects secured are interesting 
and beautiful. The children may like to experiment 
and see w^hat they can do in this direction. 

Cork Doll (See page 81) 



CHAPTER II 

MOTHER NATURE'S HORN OF PLENTY 

Many of the articles named under the Market 
Basket Division of this book could be classified also 
under the above head. In addition we present the 
following : 

STONES AND PEBBLES 

Collections (Stones, small boxes) 

Collect various pretty little stones and pebbles on 
river shore, coast or roadway, and classify in different 
ways — according to color, shape, size. This exercises 
the child's observing powers and trains him in detect- 
ing differences and resemblances. Keep in small boxes. 

Bottled Pebbles (Pebbles, plain glass bottle) 

Put some pretty pebbles in a glass bottle filled 
with water which intensifies the color. Send to some 
sick friend, especially some one from the prairies who 
may seldom see stones. It is always well for the 
child to have some definite object in view when he 
does anything. 

Toy Path-Markers 

Use pebbles in the sand-box for outlining the lit- 
tle paths in the wee park or farm. 

Jackstones 

Pebbles of right size and shape make good jack- 
stones. 

39 



40 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

Toy Vegetables (Small square of cheesecloth, needle, 

thread, pebbles) 

Make tiny cheesecloth bags and use pebbles as 
potatoes, apples, etc., in play with the little wagons 
made by the child. In playing store with them comes 
opportunity for counting and measuring. Tiny boxes 
can be used for quart and pint measures, and the child 
may be shown that two pints make one quart, etc. 

Paper-Weight {Large, smooth stone, oil-paints) 

If you find a large, smooth stone of pretty tone, 
let the older child decorate it with a little picture done 
in oil paints. 



SHELLS 

Collections {Shells, small boxes) 

Collect and classify according to color, shape, 
etc., and keep in separate boxes. 

Bottled Shells {Shells, bottle) 

Put little shells in bottle of water to bring out 
lovely colors. (See Bottled Pebbles above.) 

Border for Sand-Table 

Place small shells along little paths in sand-table, 
sometimes with concave side up and vice versa. 

Larger shells, as clamshells, make fine borders 
for roads and paths in the country. They outline the 
road on a dark night. 

Water-Color-Cups 

Collect and save shells to give to some artist 
friend as extra cups for his water-color paints. 



Mother Nature's Horn of Plenty 41 

Ramekin Dishes 

Large shells make serviceable individual dishes 
for baked fish, etc. Appropriate for fish dinner. 

Individual Salt and Butter Dishes 

These can be made of the smaller pink and yellow 
shells found on many coasts. Let the children collect 
shells for this purpose, and use for fish dinner. 

Toy-Boat 

A small shell is often found which, with the Httle 
natural seat found at one end, at once suggests a little 
boat. Have the children collect and save for those 
far from the shore. 

Pin-Tray {Scallop shell, oil-paints) 

Paint a marine view in oils inside a shell for pin- 
tray. 

Pin-Cushion (Small piece of satin or velvet, saw- 
dust, glue, two perfect scallop-shells) 
Make a small pin-cushion of satin or velvet, filled 
with saw-dust, and glue between a pair of scallop 
shells, so that it fits in between as they open out. 

Piano Scarf (Several dozen small, thin, yellozv shells 
found on Atlantic coast, one yard Nile green 
India silk, strong sewing silk) 

Hem the silk an inch deep at each end. Sew to 
one end a fringe of shells made as follows : 

The shells usually have a tiny hole in them when 
found. If not, one is easily pierced by a strong 
needle. Take twelve lengths of strong sewing silk, 
white, each 20 inches long. To each of these tie 
twelve shells at intervals of an inch each. You will 



42 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

then have twelve strings of shells, which are to be 
sewed to the scarf as a fringe, putting them about 
three inches apart. Sew two rows of shells directly 
on the scarf itself, putting them about four inches 
apart each way. If desired, in making the fringe 
some of the strings may be shorter than others, ar- 
ranged so that the long and short ones alternate. 



BIRCH BARK 

Needle-Case or Penwiper (Squares of chamois skin 

or flannel, sewing-silk, paint) 

Cut bark into circles, squares, oblongs, etc. Dec- 
orate with gold lettering or borders of gold. Make 
several leaves of flannel or chamois skin and sew the 
bark on to these as a cover. The flannel may be scal- 
loped. An appropriate sentiment to write upon pen- 
wiper cover is "Extracts from the pen of — " putting 
in the name of the recipient. The leaves and cover 
may be sewed together with a cross-stitch. 

Handkerchief-Box (Punch, several strands of raffia) 
Cut two pieces of bark 6x6 inches. Cut four 
others 3x6 inches. Along the edge of these punch 
(with a conductor's punch or one that can be bought 
at a kindergarten supply place) holes an inch apart 
and }i inch from edge. Sew the four narrow pieces 
to the square for bottom and sides of box. Sew 
remaining square more loosely to one side as cover. 
Sew with strands of raffia, sewing through the holes 
already made. If desired to give a more finished ap- 
pearance punch more holes along edge of box and lid, 
making them ^4 ii^ch apart. Then hold a fine basket 
reed or piece of raffia along the edges and overcast. 



Mother Nature's Horn of Plenty 43 

If lavender or sweet grass is obtainable, that will 
be even better than reed or raffia for the edge, lend- 
ing its fragrance to the gift. The box can be still 
further finished by lining with dainty silk. Make 
glove box in same way, but longer in proportion to 
width. 

Pencil and Paint-Brush Box {Bark, raffia, needle or 

crochet hook) 

This is cylindrical. Cut a piece of bark 5x8 
inches. Punch in it a series of holes ^ of an inch 
apart, and ^ inch from edge of each short side. 
Place these so that one edge overlaps the other and 
the holes coincide with one another. Then sew to- 
gether with raffia. Use a short needle or none at all. 
Raffia can be drawn through holes with a crochet- 
hook. Punch holes in the lower end of this cylinder 
and cut a circle of same size as diameter of cylinder 
out of cardboard. Punch corresponding holes in 
this and sew the bottom in. Strengthen top by over- 
casting over a twist of raffia, sweet grass or sweet 
clover. 

Canoe {Bark, pencil, thread, paper, parafdne) 

Fold strong piece of bark and cut an outline of 
a canoe, rounding the ends. Sew the ends closely 
together with stout thread, overcasting the edges with 
same. Make watertight by lining with paper dipped 
in melted paraffine. Paraffine may be bought at gro- 
cer's. 

Fan, modeled after East Indian pattern {Bark, kin- 
dling wood, dye, gold paint) 
Cut two stiff pieces of bark into hatchet-shaped 

trapezoid. Punch row of holes in the narrowest side, 



44 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

whittle a handle of pinewood, and sew it to the nar- 
row edge of bark over and over through the holes. 

The handle may be stained with some natural 
dye and fan decorated with gold paint. 

Picture-Frame (Bark, punch, szveet grass) 

Cut two pieces of bark 4x5 inches, one of smooth 
bark, one of the outer bark with pleasing markings. 
Punch holes around the edges of each ^ inches apart. 
In the rough outside piece cut an oval 2^/2 x 3 inches. 
Around this inner oval punch holes near together and 
bind this around with sweet grass overcast with fine 
raffia. Now sew the two pieces of bark together, 
first cutting into the back piece a slit near the bottom 
into which to slide the photograph. 

In using sweet grass as binding it is well to wind 
the bunch first with thread to hold the pieces together, 
and after the grass is firmly sewed the temporary 
thread can be cut away. The bunch of grass thus 
used may be about as thick as half the little finger> 

Punch m.ay be bought at kindergarten store, or 
conductor's punch will do. 



GOURDS 
Darning-Egg 

A smooth well-shaped gourd (mock-orange) 
makes a serviceable darning ^gg. 

Hanging-Basket {Large gourd, soil, plant) 

Clear the gourd of fibre and seeds, after cutting 
off the top rim evenly. Pierce the top with two holes 
through which to attach cord for hanging, fill with a 
Hght, loose soil, and plant in it a drooping, traiHng 
plant. Cut a hole in the lower end to allow for drain- 



Mother Nature's Horn of Plenty 45 

age. Let the country child save gourds of good 
shape to present, thus filled, to city friends. 



VEGETABLES 

Sweet-Potato Vine 

Put a sweet potato in sandy loam in a hanging 
basket and water occasionally. It will produce a beau- 
tiful, graceful vine. 

Carrot-Top 

Cut off the top of a young carrot evenly and place 
it on top of a pot filled with sand. Moisten well, and 
keep in the dark till it has begun to sprout ; when the 
leaves appear take it out, and the word "Carrot-top" 
will acquire a new meaning, the result is so pretty. 

Turnip 

Take a turnip and clean the outside, taking care 
not to injure the parts from which the leaves spring. 
Cut a piece off the bottom and scoop out the inside, 
leaving the top intact. Fasten string or wire to it 
so as to hang it upside down. Fill and keep filled 
with water, and soon the leaves will sprout and curl 
up, forming a beautiful natural hanging basket. 



RAFFIA 

This flexible fiber, long used by florists, is now 
also used a great deal in the schools for the educa- 
tional hand-training it affords. It can be obtained 
at kindergarten supply places. 



46 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

Reins 

Take three to six strands and braid into reins 
for playing horse. As the ends of the strands are 
approached (each is about a yard long) begin to 
weave in a new strand, as inconspicuously as possi- 
ble. Do not have the strands all exactly the same 
length to begin with, because if you reach the end 
of all at the same time it makes it difficult to weave 
in new ones neatly. 
Mat 

Take such a long braid as described above, and 
holding one end flat, turn it round and round spirally 
but flat, and sew with thread to make a mat for the 
tea-pot. By bending up a little as you sew you can 
make a basket. 

Picture-Frame (Cardboard^ raffia, thread and needle) 
Cut a circle of cardboard 5x5 inches in diam- 
eter. From the centre cut out a smaller circle three 
inches in diameter. This leaves a circular cardboard 
frame. Wind this round and round smoothly with 
the raffia. Paste another circle on the back to give 
a good finish, but in this second circle cut a slit up 
which to slide the photograph. 

Woven Mat (Loom, raffia) 

Thread a little loom with raffia warp as de- 
scribed on page 90. Then weave the woof (also of 
raffia) back and forth to make a mat or a case for 
hanging basket. To make the latter the right size 
have the warp threads as long as the can is around 
the circumference, and have the zmdth about the same 
as the height of the can. 

The raffia can be colored with Diamond dyes and 
wee rugs made for the doll-house on tiny looms. 



Mother Nature's Horn of Plenty, 47 
Grace Hoops (See under Plays and Games) 

LEAVES 

Festoons and Wreaths {Leaves, fresh or dried, 

thorns or needle and thread) 

City children may need to be told what seems to 
be handed down to the country child from generation 
to generation, that leaves may be made into wreaths 
for the head or decoration for the room either by 
overlapping one upon another and fastening together 
with a thorn or sharp twig, or by stringing together 
on a stout thread. 

To Dry or Press {Blotting paper, tivo small smooth 

hoards, strap, wax or linseed oil) 

Gather and press pretty autumn leaves thus: 
Have ready two boards measuring about one by two 
feet. Put the leaves between sheets of blotting paper 
and place these between the boards and then strap 
them tightly together, or if no straps are convenient, 
put the boards beneath a heavy weight (a book will 
do). Change the paper every day or so till sure that 
they are quite dry. 

To preserve and brighten the colors after drying 
dip in melted wax and press a moment with a hot 
iron, or clear, boiled linseed oil will do in place of 
the wax, using, however, as little as possible. 

Decoration for Curtains 

Pin to lace curtains in attractive arrangement. 

Transparency {Leaves, bolting-cloth, i yard white 

India silk, saving silk, needle) 

I. Take a piece of bolting-cloth twice the length 
of the largest leaf and fold over evenly. Open again 



4S Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

and place the leaves upon the bolting-cloth artistically 
in a row; fold the cloth over again and baste. Bind 
the edges with white ribbon, and at the two upper 
corners sew the ends of a narrow ribbon with which 
to suspend the transparency in the window. 

2. Or, if preferred, sew the bolting-cloth trans- 
parency as a border to the end of a yard of India 
silk as a scarf for shelf or piano. 

Frieze of Leaves {Leaves, cartridge or other strong 

paper of good tone, glue) 

A pretty frieze for a room can be made by past- 
ing leaves on a long, foot-high strip of paper which 
forms a background. The effect will depend largely 
upon the harmony between the color of the leaves 
and the background, as well as upon the arrangement 
of the leaves. They may be arranged in an irregular 
line, or may be placed so as to form artistic groups 
of twos and threes or fours. 

Collections of Leaves 

When the collecting instinct is upon him, let the 
child collect and classify leaves according to shape. 
See if he can tell by the leaf what tree it came from, 
and if he recognizes the different varieties of leaves. 

Four-Leaved Clovers 

Look for four-leaved clovers when on your coun- 
try walks, and save to press and afterwards use in 
writing letters of good-will as decoration for paper, 
pasting on at upper left hand corner; or use to deco- 
rate place cards for dinners. It will hardly be neces- 
sary to state that the four-leaved clover has for long 
years been the symbol of good-luck. 



Mother Nature's Horn of Plenty 49 
Shadow Game {See under Sun and Shadozv) 

FEATHERS 

Feather Flowers (A large goose with many white 

feathers, heeszvax, spools of wire of different sizes, 

aniline dyes, though vegetable dyes are preferable 

if obtainable, strong scissors suitable for cutting 

zvire, spools of strong white cotton thread, spool 

of milliner's green-covered zvire) 

Pluck the breast of the goose. (Feathers come out 

very easily.) The feathers, being very light, fly about 

and therefore it is best to do the plucking in an uncar- 

peted room or one in which the floor has been covered 

with a large sheet. 

Classify the feathers according to size, and ar- 
range in bundles of about thirty by winding a stout 
thread around the quills. Thus they are ready for the 
dyeing process. 

Dye according to directions on packages. For 
deep green of leaves and for calyx immerse for several 
minutes ; for more delicate tints immersion for a 
second is sufficient. 

Suppose we select for our first effort a carnation. 
Choose a real one for a model. Having selected about 
twenty feathers of the required sizes and colors, cut 
the ends to resemble the form of the petal and then 
pink the edge as in the real flower. The actual immber 
of petals required will depend upon the size of the 
flower copied and must be left to the judgment of the 
maker. 

Take the measure of the length of stem required 
on the wire and double it (wire must be twice as long 
as stem). Wind tightly and evenly around it the 
green milliner's wire to make the stem. 



50 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

Soften the beeswax by heating slightly in a pan 
till soft enough to mold betwen the fingers. Shape it 
into the form of the calyx, inserting the stem at the 
lower end, and pushing it far enough to insure firm- 
ness. Wrap this soft calyx form round with green 
feathers to represent the flower copied. Upon accu- 
racy at the beginning depends the success of the flower, 
therefore it is necessary to observe the natural one 
closely. The green feathers must entirely cover the 
calyx mold, the upper ones curving back a little as in 
the genuine calyx. 

Take some colored petals and insert between the 
calyx and the wax mold, pushing the quill end of the 
feather firmly into the wax. Arrange the petals spi- 
rally, beginning at the bottom and building gradually 
up to the top. The larger feathers are used first, grow- 
ing smaller toward the top. Complete the flower by 
inserting the stamens and pistil, which are made by 
tearing one small feather into narrow strips and curl- 
ing these by drawing once over a scissors blade. 

The simplest flowers to make are : Carnation 
pinks, violets, sweet peas, fuchsias, roses and Easter 
lilies. With the proper amount of time, patience and 
perseverance, any flower can be successfully made. 

If leaves are desired, cut green feathers into the 
required shape and attach. 

Indian Headdress (Large turkey feathers, glue, card- 
board, paint) 

Save large feathers from turkey or rooster and 
make Indian headdress by glueing upon cardboard cut 
to proper shape. For model look at copper cent. 



Mother Nature's Horn of Plenty 51 



FLOWERS 

Pressed Morning- Glories {The flowers, white tissue- 
paper, scissors, hook or pressing boards) 
Press the flowers between a fold of thin tissue- 
paper. The delicate flowers will adhere to the paper, 
which is sufficiently transparent however for the morn- 
ing-glory to be visible through it. When dry, cut the 
paper from around the flower and pin to curtains, lam- 
brequin, etc., as desired, or attach to letter paper. 

Soldier-Flowers {Milkweed blossoms) 

The small blossoms of the milkweed may be made 
to stand in rows and columns like soldiers, two by two, 
four by four, etc., giving practice in counting. 

ROSE-HAWS 

Rosaries {Haws, stout thread, needle) 

When the beautiful red rose-haws ripen let the 
children string them, making rosaries to send to city 
friends. 

STRAWS 

Stringing {Scissors, needle, thread, cranberries, nuts, 

etc.) 

Save the straw from rye and let the children cut 
it into one-inch lengths for stringing alternately with 
cranberries, nuts, beads, etc. Use to decorate the room, 
to make portieres, and to decorate the child himself 
when dressing up. 

Blowing Bubbles {Straw, soapy zvater) 

Hollow straws several inches long may be used to 
blow tiny bubbles of soapy water in the absence of a 
clay pipe. 



52 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 



SUN AND SHADOW 

Blue-Prints {Leaf, blue-print paper, running water, 

small oblong of glass) 

A package of blue-print paper can be bought at 
any photographic supply place for from 15 cents up, 
or can be had in the sheet from an architect's supply 
store. It must be carefully protected from the light 
till ready for use. 

Take a square of the paper and place upon it a 
leaf or flower or inconspicuous weed that makes a good 
shadow on the sidewalk or window sill. Place this in 
pleasing position upon the paper and put quickly in the 
bright sunshine, holding it in place with the small 
pane of glass (common picture glass will do). Leave 
exposed to the sun for about ten minutes, then pour 
cold water over it for a moment or so, and the 
''shadow" will be seen to be permanently ''fixed" in 
light blue against a darker blue background. 

An artist acquaintance has a hundred or more 
such prints of leaves, plants and flowers beautifully 
mounted in a Japanese blank-book, the paper of which 
makes an exquisite background. She finds these 
shadows of the flowers and commonest weeds sug- 
gestive in her designing. 

Shadow Game (Smooth fence in sunshine; branch 
with leaves.) 

1. Several children sit in row, facing smooth 
board fence. Another group of children form their 
opponents. Of these one walks behind seated row 
in such a way that his profile is visible on fence. 
Seated children guess opponent from shadow cast. 

2. One child casts on wall shadow of leafy 
branch. Opponents guess name of parent tree. 



CHAPTER III 

SAVED FROM THE SCRAP BASKET 

or 

Work with Scissors and Paste 

What is known as free-hand cutting has been for 
some time recognized as of genuine educational value 
and is a source of great pleasure to the child when 
once he learns his capacity in this direction. When 
he tries, by means of paper and scissors, to ex- 
press an idea, to illustrate some story, or to indicate 
something that he has seen, his notions of form and 
proportion become more definite and precise, and he 
learns to express action with remarkable skill and 
power. He learns to appreciate beauty of outline as 
seen in mountains and trees against a clear sky, and 
to recognize such beauty as there may be in what 
artists know as the "sky line," when darkness deep- 
ens and the mammoth buildings of a city loom up 
black against the sunset heavens. The definiteness of 
observation and skill with the hand acquired in this 
free cutting serves the child in many ways when in 
the school grades. 

Many an otherwise useless piece of paper may, 
with the help of scissors, give the child hours of 
pleasure. 

But before he is able to use the scissors the 
child may receive pleasure and benefit from the use 
of paper alone. 

53 



54 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 



PAPER 

Tearing Paper (Any bit of paper) 

Give the children small pieces of paper and let 
them try to tear these into simple definite shapes. 
Make a shoe, stocking, snowman, tree, ladder, cat, etc. 
Watch that they do not grow nervous in doing it. 
After a little practice they will become surprisingly 
expert. Paste what they make on a good background 
to save and compare with later efforts. 

This is a really educational occupation which in- 
volves absolutely no expense, as any clean piece of 
paper may be so used. Will employ the child happily 
when traveling. 

The very youngest children, if they want to tear 
the newspaper, may be asked to tear it into tiny 
pieces which brother and sister can use in playing 
"hare and hounds." 

Cutting Paper 

Let the child begin the cutting by making a snow- 
ball out of white paper, and then a snowman. These 
need only crude outlines, such as are within his ca- 
pacity. Then lead him on, little by little, to cut a pic- 
ture of the cat and of the dog, and illustrations to his 
favorite stories, as the 'Three Bears." This is be- 
loved in the kindergarten, requiring, as it does, pic- 
tures of the chairs, the bowls, etc. Those who have 
not seen children do this kind of work will be sur- 
prised at the capacity developed. 

If he is afraid to attempt the freehand work, give 
the child pictures to cut around, as simple outlines 
of a cat seated, or a piece of fruit. Then encourage 
him to cut without the outline. Both efforts may run 



Saved from the Scrap Basket 55 

along together. If a line be drawn, be sure that it is 
heavy and distinct enough to be readily seen and fol- 
lowed. 

Birthday Candles) (i^^J paper, blank card, colored 
Firecrackers j crayon) 

Out of red paper let the child cut six (or any 
number desired) narrow strips for red candles, to 
represent birthday candles. Place in a row upon a 
white card, to serve as place cards at a child's party. 
Draw a bit of yellow at end of each candle to hint 
at a flame. 

The same may be turned into firecrackers for a 
''Fourth of July" festival, a line being drawn to sug- 
gest a fuse. 

Soldier-Caps {Newspaper, pins or paste) 

Take brown wrapping paper or newspaper and 
cut a square. Place before you and fold from hack 
to front, making an oblong. While still folded make 
another fold by turning the left edge so that it exactly 
meets the right edge. Open this much out and there 
is a crease running from top to bottom. Now take 
the upper left hand corner and make it touch the bot- 
tom of this crease; take the upper right hand corner 
and make it touch the lower end of this crease. This 
gives a pointed cap, still unfinished. To finish cut a 
slit, an inch deep, up from each lower end of the cap 
and then fold a kind of hem up from the bottom and 
paste the ends over neatly. Turn the hat over and 
fold a similar hem on the other side. Turn in the 
corner and finish by pasting neatly. 

Plume for Hat {Paper as above, scissors, paste or 
pin) 
Take a strip of paper 6 x 12 inches. Make a 



56 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

fringe or series of cuts in this about four inches long 
and Yi inch wide, and then roll it up and attach to 
hat with paste or a pin. 

Epaulets for shoulder may be cut in similar way. 

The cutting of these fringes gives practice in the 
use of scissors. 

The articles whose making we will now describe 
do not come under the head of free-hand cutting, as 
they usually require cutting according to measure- 
ment, and really definite directions. They are given 
in general in the order of difficulty in the making. 

Chains {^Scissors, paper, paste, toothpick) 

Let the little child begin by cutting strips of 
some bright paper or smooth wrapping paper into 
lengths of ^ by 3 inches. Make a ring of one of these, 
putting a wee bit of paste on the under part of one 
end and sticking it fast to the other end by over- 
lapping. Through this ring run another strip and 
paste into a similar ring, and so make a long chain 
of them wherewith to decorate the child's small per- 
son or the room. To make paste see page 169. 

It is well to have a small pomade box, obtain- 
able at a druggist's, in which to keep the paste. It 
can then be covered and kept moist until the next 
time for using. But a little fresh mucilage or paste 
can at any time be put into a butter dish. A tooth- 
pick will make a good paste-stick, which the child 
can handle more easily than a brush. Show him that 
a tiny bit of paste will suffice and that more makes 
the pretty ring mussy. 

If mother is sewing and the child restless and 
no bright colored paper convenient, let the child cut 



Saved from the Scrap Basket 57 

strips of newspaper right at hand and make the rings. 
His imagination will readily convert them into links 
of gold. 

Mask {Paper of any color, scissors, chalk, cord) 

Cut an oval out of paper (or dress-lining) and 
in it cut holes for eyes, nose, and mouth, fitting first 
to the child's face to insure getting them in the right 
places. Put a hole in the middle of each side through 
which to tie the string which fastens it around over 
the head. To add to the fun the mask may be colored 
with chalks. 

Newspaper Wrappers (Smooth brozun wrapping 

paper, pencil, ruler) 

Take smooth pieces of brown wrapping paper. 
Cut oblongs 8 X 12 inches. From one narrow edge 
then measure an inch down on each side and make a 
dot. Make another dot at the middle of this same 
narrow side. Then draw a curve from dot to dot 
and cut along the line. This makes the curved edge 
of the wrapper. The curve may be cut free hand by 
a skilful hand, or drawn with a compass. Put some 
mucilage all along the edge of the curved side about 
3/2 inch wide and let dry. Make a dozen of these and 
give to father for a present, all ready for use when 
he wants to mail a paper. They can be made more 
complete by affixing a one-cent stamp on the right 
hand side where the curved edge begins. 

Papers for Baking Pans {Brown paper, scissors, 

pencil) 

Give child paper and baking-pans, and let him 
cut papers ready for your use when making cake. 
Let him do measuring. 



58 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

Book-Mark (Fine zuhite or tinted paper) 

Take a piece of dainty paper and cut into an 
oblong 1x6 inches. Fold lengthwise and cut a small 
triangle from each end so as to leave a point when 
opened out. Now cut a circle in the middle of the 
paper (which is still folded) and cut other shaped 
openings, diamonds, triangles, etc., along the fold, 
^ or ^ inches apart. Open and you have a simple 
openwork bookmark the little child can give father 
for birthday. A little experiment will show how to 
secure variety and intricacy of design. 



Fringed Bon-Bon Papers (White tissue paper, col- 
ored ink or water-color paints, candy, verse of 
poetry) 

Cut a sheet of tissue paper into little oblongs 
4x5 inches. Dip each narrow end %. of an inch 
into ink, red, green, etc., or into water-color paints, 
and let dry. Then cut this colored margin into nar- 
row slits, making fringe. Copy some appropriate 
couplet on a narrow slip of paper and place it with 
a piece of candy inside the paper, giving the fringed 
ends a final twist. The making of these at home for 
some future occasion, such as a birthday party, will 
afford a happy hour's amusement. 

Paper Money (White paper, pencil, scissors, cent) 

Place the cent beneath the paper and then press 
on it with the bottom of the pencil, rubbing at the 
same time with a circular motion. Soon the impres- 
sion of the coin will appear on the paper. Cut out 
and use in playing store. 



Saved from the Scrap Basket 59 

Snowflakes (White paper, mucilage, a ten-cent box 

of mica crystals or five cents' worth of alum 

pozvder) 

A six-pointed star must first be made of white 
paper. To make this take piece of the paper from 3 
to 6 inches square, according to the size of the star. 
Fold the paper once and cut an approximate half cir- 
cle. Then fold this in thirds, pressing the folds to 
make creases. If opened out the circle would be 
marked by six equi-distant creases radiating from the 
centre. Do not, however, open, for you are now ready 
to cut. Before doing this, observe if possible some 
real snowflakes, with miscroscope or magnifying glass, 
or even with the naked eye. Notice the form and 
hexagonal structure. This is seen best if the flake 
is caught on some woolen fabric. Then look into an 
unabridged dictionary and study the picture of the 
magnified snowflake crystal. Then cut tiny trian- 
gles, circles, etc., into your folded circle so that 
when opened out it will suggest an enlarged snow- 
flake with its six varied points. A delicate appear- 
ance is secured by cutting delicate tapering points, 
or, if the points be broad, cut holes in them to give 
a lacey effect. We do not give more definite direc- 
tions for cutting, as the great fascination of the occu- 
pation consists in the experiments with their many 
surprises. 

(i) Now take the paper snowflake and brush it 
lightly over with a thin, transparent mucilage, and 
then sift over it some mica crystals obtainable at a 
toy- store, one box being sufficient for many flakes. 
After drying, cover the other side in the same way. 
Suspended from the Christmas tree, these are very 
effective. 

(2) The flakes can be made in another way, 



6o Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

thus: Make a solution of alum water, dissolving 
five cents' worth of alum in a pint of water. Be sure 
it is all dissolved. Then put the flakes in a shallow 
dish (granite ware or some material that the acid will 
not injure). Cover with the solution and put in a 
place slightly warm, so that the gradual evaporation 
of the water will help in the slow formation of the 
crystals. When finally evaporated the lacey "cut-out" 
will be found covered with alum crystals. Cover 
during evaporation with some light protection from 
the dust. 

Tailless Kite {Tzvo sticks, ^y2 feet long and Yz inch, 

wide, a ball of strong but thin twine, two pieces 

tissue paper, knife, Hour paste) 

Get the sticks from the saw-mill. Cut a notch 
in the two ends of each stick as a catch for the frame- 
work of twine which will be put on later. On one 
stick make a pencil mark about seven inches from the 
top. Put the middle of the second stick across the 
first at this mark and bind the two together firmly 
at right angles to each other. You now have a 
skeleton in the form of a cross. Number the ends of 
the sticks i, 2, 3, 4, making the top i, the right hand 
end 2, the bottom 3, and the left hand 4, and the 
place where they join 5. 

Now bend the second stick (the cross piece) into 
a bow and tie a piece of twine from end to end like a 
bow-string. You must get the curve of the bow just 
right, so that the distance from the middle of the 
bow-string to the joinings of the sticks is the same 
as from the joinings of the sticks to the top of the 
main stick, i. e., seven inches. 

Now carry twine all around, from end to end 
of the skeleton, to make a framework for the paper; 



Saved from the Scrap Basket 6i 

put this twine through each notch and around the end 
of the stick several times to strengthen. Now paste 
together, end to end, lengthwise, the two pieces of 
paper, to make one long piece (a single piece is not 
large enough). Place the paper on the floor or broad 
table, and lay the frame upon it. The paper will not 
be as long or wide in all places as the framework, 
hence, fold it over the twine framework experi- 
mentally, and cut off in places where it is too wide. 
Allow enough for secure pasting. Use the cut-off 
corners to lengthen in other places where necessary, 
by pasting on. If two colors of paper are taken, 
the effect is very pretty, the corners being arranged 
to match each other. The best paste is made by a 
judicious mixture of ordinary flour and water. 

Now the belly-band must be tied on, as the flying 
string is attached to the belly-band. The belly-band 
is attached on the outside or convex side of the 
kite, being attached at 5 where the two sticks join ; 
and at 3. It must be just as long as the distance 
from 5 to 2 added to the distance from 2 to 3. When 
tied at both ends put your pencil through the loop and 
move it so that the pencil rests upon the figure 2. 
The cord will then make an angle coinciding with 
5-2 and 2-3. At the angle 2, attach the belly-band. 

In flying the kite it is important to have a very 
long flying-string. 

CARDBOARD OR BRISTOL BOARD 

Go-Bang Board (Bristol board, ruler, ink, pen, but- 
ton-molds, zvater-color paints or colored inks) 
Get a piece of bristol board or clean cardboard at 
stationer's and cut it 18 inches square. Divide by 
straight lines into small squares ^4 inches each way. 



62 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

To draw the straight Hnes in ink turn the ruler 
upside down and run the penholder against the edge, 
which is a little raised from the paper. This keeps 
the ink from blotting. 

Four is the smallest number that can play with 
much success, and each should have about a dozen 
counters. These can be made of the smallest sized 
button-molds, each set of 12 painted a different color, 
or distinguished by a ring of a particular color drawn 
upon its upper surface with ink or paint. Small flat 
buttons may also be used. 

To win the game each player must succeed in 
getting a certain number of counters (number pre- 
viously agreed upon), say four, five or six, in a 
straight row, either horizontally, vertically or ob- 
liquely. If he gets three in a row, then the next 
player should stop this opponent's progress at one 
end of the line by putting one of his own men there, 
and must depend upon his neighbor to close the other 
end of the line. One player must not give warning 
to another of the prospective success of a third. Each 
must keep a lookout on his own account. 

Checker-Board (Bristol board or any stiff, smooth 

cardboard, smooth, glased paper of two colors, 

red and black, paste, scissors, ruler) 

Cut from the cardboard a square of 15 inches. 

Draw a line parallel to each side one inch from the 

edge for a border. From each colored sheet of paper 

cut 32 squares of 1% inches each. Paste eight of 

these in a row, alternating colors, and arranging so 

that they just touch the top border line. Make eight 

such rows, one beneath the other, and finally giving 

64 squares. 

For checkers, button-molds of small size may be 



Saved from the Scrap Basket 63 

used. Twelve will be needed of one color and twelve 
of another. Paint these with water-colors. Flat 
porcelain buttons may also be used. 

Toy Screen (Tinted cardboard, punch, zvorsted or 

ribbon, 4 small pictures) 

Cut four pieces of pale blue Bristol board 3x4 
inches. Punch two holes in the two long sides of 
two of these, and in one side of each of the remaining- 
ones. Tie the four panels together with the ribbon 
or worsted so as to make a tiny screen, first pasting 
on each panel a miniature picture of a Madonna and 
Child or some other similar subject. Suitable for 
child to give as Christmas gift. Must be done neatly. 

Fan (Bristol board, pencil, zvorsted, tzvo slats, scrap 

picture) 

Cut two pieces of tinted Bristol board into ovals, 
6^ X 8 inches. Make a series of pencil dots J4 inch 
from edge of oval and one inch apart. Through 
these, holding the ovals together, punch holes. Sew 
together with worsted, using the overhand stitch. 
Plaving gone around once, if cross-stitch effect is 
desired, go around again the other way, going thus 
through each hole a second time. For handles take 
two long slats and glue on to each side of the fan 
from the centre down to the point of the oval, and 
beyond. Paste a pretty scrap picture over the centre 
to finish off. Tie the worsted around the ends of 
slats in a pretty knot to hold them together. Baby 
ribbon may be used instead of worsted. 

Cardboard Animals (Glue, blocks or spools, picture- 
books, cardboard, tissue paper) 
Find models in picture-books, or get from But- 



64 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

terick Fashion Co. their animal pictures, or same may 
be had from kindergarten supply stores. Trace out- 
line upon tissue paper, using soft pencil. Turn paper 
over on cardboard and trace firmly again around the 
outline. This leaves impression of picture. Cut it 
out and glue it to block or spool, or attach a card- 
board brace to one side to make stand. 

Candlesticks {Squares of bright tissue paper, Bristol 

hoard, rubber bands) 

Cut circle of stiff cardboard 5 inches in diameter. 
Draw upon it two diameters at right angles to each 
other. From the centre cut along each of these diam- 
eters for a little less than half an inch. Bend up the 
corners thus made and insert a candle. 

Cut pieces of tissue paper 12 inches square ; place 
the circle holding the candle upon the tissue paper, 
fold the latter around the circle and the candle, and 
put a rubber band around to hold in place. The ap- 
pearance is improved if two colors of tissue paper be 
used. The effect up and down a table of these simple 
candlesticks is most festive. Colors may be changed 
to suit special occasions. 

Chinese Toy {Three thin pieces of cardboard 2 x 2^/2 
inches in measurement [visiting cards zvill do^, 
6 lengths of taffeta binding or baby ribbon, ^ 
inch wide x j inches long) 

The following toy can be made with little ex- 
pense and very little trouble if directions are followed 
explicitly. It may be well to have an older child read 
each statement as the less experienced one tries to 
follow. A child who enjoys attempting things that 
are a little difficult will enjoy working this out. 



Saved from the Scrap Basket 



65 



Place the three cards one beneath the other, nar- 



row sides facing each other. 

Letter the cards respectively A, 



^^=n==l-^ 



B, C 

As they lie on the table, write on 
upper side of each card "right," and 
on the under side write ''wrong." 

Then place each card so that the 
''right" side is up. 

Take card A and on right side 
at middle of top place figure i and at 
each lower corner place a figure 2. 

Do the same with Card B. 

Turn B card over and on zvrong 
side of B put figure 3 at each upper 
corner and figure 4 at middle of 
low^er edge. 

Do same with card C on zvrong 
side. 

Now we are ready to unite the 
cards by the ribbons. 

Take one strip of ribbon and 
paste one end on right side of card A 
at figure i. Run it beneath the card 
and bring it out so as to paste the 
other end on the right side of card B 
at figure i. 

Take fzvo strips. Paste one end 
of each at 2 on card A. Run beneath 
card B and turn up over so as to 
paste on figure 2 of card B. 

A and B are thus loosely united 
and the toy may be considered finished, but it is more 
mysterious if made longer, as follows : 

Turn over and at each figure 3 on card B paste 



..-.i 



p! 

I 
\ 



Chinese Toy. 



66 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

the ends of two strips of ribbon. (As ribbons already 
placed are loose this can be readily done.) 

Run beneath B and bring up so as to paste the 
ends on each figure 3 of card C. 

Take another strip. Paste the end on 4 of card 
B. Run ribbon beneath card C and turn up so as to 
paste on figure 4 of card C. 

This completes set of three. Others can be added 
ad infinitum by ingenious children. 

To operate (if the word be not too pretentious 
a one in this connection) take hold of one of the 
cards at either end and keep turning it up and down 
so that first one narrow edge and then the other is 
uppermost. The remaining cards should fall in a 
continuous cascade. 

The rough sides may be finished by pasting on 
each a pretty paper lining cut just to fit. (See illus- 
tration.) 

MISCELLANEOUS 

Chinese Kite (Kindergarten slats, paper, glue) 

Take a firm, light paper (druggist's paper will 
do). Cut two oblongs, 7 x 10 inches. Cut off all the 
corners by an oblique line of three inches. Fold each 
oblong lengthwise. Place the folded edges back to 
back, still folded. Take two slats and place one 
under one oblong and over the other, horizontally. 
Do the same with the other slat, but reversing the 
under and over positions. Take four strips of paper, 
which should be about one inch wide. Paste two strips 
over the splints, one on each side, to hold them in 
place. Place a third strip from top to bottom of the 
folded oblongs to hold them together. (They mean- 
while lying back to back.) Turn the oblongs over 



Saved from the Scrap Basket 67 

and place the remaining strip in corresponding' posi- 
tion. The result is a four-winged kite. Tie a cord 
around the slats and it is finished. 



Ash-Tray {Cigar hands, glass saucer, photographer's 

paste, square of felt) 

For some time past children who are under the 
sway of the collecting instinct have acquired from 
friends or by purchase the bright colored bands that 
come around cigars and then have utilized them thus : 
Make an ash receiver by getting at a stationer's a 
glass dish and its accompanying piece of felt. Paste 
bands in pleasing positions upon the under side of 
the glass. (Photographer's paste shows no discolor- 
ation.) Meanwhile, the felt should have been thor- 
oughly wet, stretched to fit the under side of the 
dish, and hung up to dry. When dry, paste upon the 
under side of the dish and trim off neatly the pro- 
jecting corners. 



Pen-Tray (Materials same as above, except that 

stamps or embossed letter-heads are substituted 

for cigar hands) 

There are many who do not wish to encourage 
smoking, and to such we suggest a pleasing modifi- 
cation of the above. 

Buy the glass dish and felt above mentioned, and 
instead of the bands paste upon the dish canceled 
postage stamps or letter-head monograms, etc., for a 
pen-tray. A smooth glass saucer and any piece of 
bright-colored felt that may be in the house may of 
course be used. 



68 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

Scrap-Book (Colored paper-muslin, heavy sewing silk 

or ivorsted, paste, paste-stick) 

Cut paper-muslin of pretty colors, pink, blue or 
tan, into pieces 8 x 13 inches (six pieces in all). 
Fold each one over once and fit together to make a 
book, the cover being of a color different from the 
body of the book. Sew all together by overcasting 
the back with stitches i/^ inch apart in one direction, 
and then going back in the opposite direction through 
the same holes, thus securing a cross-stitch effect. 
Show the child how to paste scrap-pictures neatly in 
this book. He may keep it for himself or give it to 
the children's ward in a hospital or to some younger 
friend. A very little paste or glue will suffice ; a bit 
in the centre and towards the corners of a picture. 

If the child has collected a large assortment of 
cards before beginning to make the book, let him 
classify them, putting together on one page animals, 
on another plants, on another pictures typical of the 
different seasons, etc. He may in this way suggest 
a house, putting on one page kitchen furniture ar- 
ranged in some logical order ; on another page the 
furnishings of bedroom, etc. Pictures for this pur- 
pose may be cut from magazine advertisements, trade 
journals, etc. In the same fashion a store may be 
furnished with articles for sale, the counter, scales, 
and desk. This gives practice in selecting and 
arranging. Good taste may be inculcated even from 
such small beginnings. 



CHAPTER IV 

THE SEWING-BASKET 

While busy with thread and needle, the mother 
may find it necessary to suggest some happy employ- 
ment for the little one who asks for something to do. 
What do the contents of the sewing-basket hint? 

BUTTONS 

Spinning Button (Button, thread) 

Show the child a button strung upon a strong 
thread about 12 inches long. Then hold the thread 
firmly between thumb and finger of each hand and 
twirl it rapidly, drawing it suddenly taut. The but- 
ton whirls round, making a pretty spinning figure. 

Stringing Buttons (Buttons, zvaxed thread) 

If baby is so old that he is not tempted to swal- 
low a pretty button, give him a strong thread waxed 
at the end to make it stiff, and let him make a chain 
of buttons. They may be strung .according to size or 
color or shape, giving practice in counting, in arrange- 
ment, and in choice. 

Buttons as Counters (Buttons) 

Save disused buttons of the same kind and let 
the child classify into two or more sets to be used as 
counters in games like checkers or go-bang. See 
page 62. 

69 



yo Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

Button-Mold Wheels (Molds, brush, water-color 

paints) 

Give tlie child four wooden button-molds of the 
same size and let him paint spokes upon them so that 
they will be ready any time to use as wheels for a 
toy wagon. Call him a little wheelwright. 

Button-Mold Tops (Molds, match or toothpick, gild- 
ing or paint) 
Paint Or gild a button-mold and then stick through 

the hole a toothpick or burnt match whittled to right 

size and show the child how to spin it. 

Button-Mold Counters (See page 62) 



SPOOLS 

Toy Furniture (See page 15) 

Toy Tree Boxes (Spools, green paint, matches, green 

paper, scissors, paste) 

Let the child paint an empty spool green, to be 
used as a tree box. Insert a burnt match to which 
has been pasted some green paper, previously fringed, 
to represent foliage. The child can make a row of 
such trees as a little boulevard up which he can draw 
an empty match box for a carriage. 

Spool Tower Target (A number of spools, ball) 

Pile a number of spools one on top of another 
and let the child try to knock them down with his 
ball. 



The Sewing- Basket 71 

Toy Road Roller (Spool, cord, toy horse) 

Tie a cord through a spool and hitch it as a road 
roller to the Noah's Ark horse. 

Pulley Elevator (Narrow cardboard box, such as a 

corset box or shorter one, spool, cord, another 

small box, either saved or made, narrow enough 

to fit inside the larger one, skezuer) 

Stand the large box on its narrow end and near 

the top punch a hole on each side so that the holes are 

opposite to each other. Take a spool and run through 

it an axle made of a slender piece of wood like a 

skewer. Then put the ends of the axle in the holes 

in the box. This makes the pulley. Use the smaller 

box as an elevator. Tie a string to this little box in 

such a way that you can hold it up evenly. To do this 

you must punch a hole in each of the opposite sides. 

Then tie one end of a longer string to the middle of 

the first named, and put the other end over the pulley. 

Revolve the spool by pulling one end of the string 

and the box will be raised. 

Matching Colors (Spools of silk or cotton of various 
colors, silk and cotton fabrics of different colors) 
Have a color game, asking the child to try to 
match the colors on the spools with those in the fab- 
rics. 

NEEDLES 

Breastpins (Broken needles, sealing luax, candle) 

Take a large broken needle, such that it is intact 
except for the eye. Show the child how to make a 
pretty pin for dolly by melting the wax a little in 
the candle flame, inserting the head of the needle, and 
molding into shape the bit of wax that adheres. 



72 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

Threading Needles (Needles, thread) 

If eager to do something, give the child a num- 
ber of needles with thread of white and black, and 
let him thread them and put them into a cushion so 
that they will be all ready for your use some morning 
when you are in a hurry to sew on a button or take 
a stitch in Tommy's little shirt. 

MISCELLANEOUS 

Thimble Biscuits (See page 104) 

Drawing Scissors (Scissors, paper, pencil) 

Give the child scissors and paper and let him 
place the scissors on the paper and draw the outline 
around them. Then tell him to cut out this outline. 
Make several such and play at keeping cutlery store. 
Draw scissors open at different angles and tell names 
of angles ; right, acute, obtuse. 

Guessing Distances (Ruler or tape measure) 

Let the children guess the height and length of 
various objects in the room. Verify by measuring 
with the tape-measure. Tell them of Oliver Wendell 
Holmes, the great poet, who, whenever he drove into 
the country, carried a tape-measure with which to 
determine the girth of any large tree he saw. 

Let children measure the size of the panes of 
glass, window-frames, etc. ; have them tell how many 
feet it would take to carpet the floor. 

Tell them to put father's hat on the floor, near 
the wall, and guess its height. 

Such little exercises develop the powers of accu- 
rate observation in a way that may prove very helpful 
in an emergency. 



CHAPTER V 

THE PAINT BOX 
or 

Expression with Pencil or Brush 

Let the child early be given charcoal or colored 
chalks, and later the three pigments — red, blue and 
yellow- — wherewith to express his ideas. Allow him 
some choice in the medium he uses — as pencil, 
charcoal or brush — as one may be best suited to his 
purpose one time, and another one at another time. 

Encourage the child to tell a story by painting 
or drawing. The earliest graphic method by which 
man conveyed messages to one at a distance was 
through picture-writing. 



LEARNING TO OBSERVE 

Painting From the Real Object {Paints, chalk or 

charcoal) 

Place before the child an apple, banana or flower 
of simple form and let him copy directly from the 
object without previous drawing. Encourage his ef- 
forts, however crude the results at first. It is more 
educative to draw from the real object than from a 
copy. Give him at first three colors only, in paints, 
till he learns how to get other colors by mixing these. 

73 



74 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

For this purpose point out beautiful sunsets and cloud 
effects in Nature. 

Life Stages of Seedling {Paper, paints, seedling) 

Place before the child a bean or pea. Give him 
an oblong of paper 3x8 inches. Fold it into four 
parts. In the first let him draw or paint the seed as 
he sees it. Then let him plant the seed. In a day 
or so let him paint a picture of the seedling, after 
having grown so as to show the development of the 
seed leaves. Draw two other pictures to show later 
stages of growth. This gives a picture history of 
the little plant and while so occupied the child is learn- 
ing to observe and note that which he sees. 



ACQUIRING SKILL 

Calendars {Water-colors, brush, paper, calendar pad) 
Draw circles, squares, etc., and let the child fill in 
the outlines with color. A tiny calendar may be 
pasted in the center and ribbons put through where- 
with to hang it up. 

In filling in these figures show the child how to 
hold the brush lightly so as to secure freedom of 
stroke. Let him make long strokes beginning at the 
top of the paper and moving from side to side slowly 
downward, or rather as rapidly as is consistent with 
neatness. Have enough water on the brush so that 
the color will not dry from one long stroke before 
you are able to go back and carry it on to the next 
stroke. Practice making a clean, smooth surface. 

Nature Pictures 

Let the child fill one sheet thus with blue, a pic- 
ture of the sky. Another sheet may be covered with 



The Paint Box 75 

green, a meadow. Still another sheet may have the 
upper part blue and the lower green. 



EXPERIMENTS WITH COLOR 

Prism {Secure glass prism from kindergarten store 
or from some candelabra you may have at home) 
Place in sunlight and let child observe colors 
and the order in which they appear ; always in the same 
order — the cold colors at one end, the warm ones at 
the other. Let the little child try to catch and hold 
the lovely *1ight-bird." 

Pigments (Water-color paints, glasses of water) 

Dissolve a little red, yellow and blue paint in 
three separate glasses. Then, by mingling these — the 
primary colors — show how the secondary colors — or- 
ange, green and violet — may be obtained. 

Transparent Papers 

Get at a kindergarten store the transparent 
papers and isinglass used in color work. By overlap- 
ping one upon another different hues may be ob- 
tained. This may be done also, though less effect- 
ively, with colored tissue papers; but these are not 
so pure in tone. 

Color-Top 

Color tops may be procured at kindergarten stores. 
With the top come paper circles, of standard colors, 
with their tints and shades, giving a great variety. 
These are so slit that by placing two or more on the 
top according to directions and revolving the top, any 
tint or hue may be mathematically produced. 



76 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

li the child has made his own button-mold top, 
let him cut circles of white paper and slip them over 
the axis of the top. Make a dab of color here or 
there on the paper with paint or chalk. Whirl 
around and observe the effect This will lead up to 
a better understanding of the above-mentioned color- 
top which is manufactured by the Milton Bradley Co. 

APPLIED ART 

Toy Wagons and Houses 

If the child has made wagons or houses of wood 
or cardboard, let him paint them in broad, free strokes. 
It is desirable that the little child be given work 
which involves the free movement of the larger mus- 
cles which such work demands. This may not appeal 
to one as belonging under the head of art, but we 
learn from Mr. Pennell that in Sicily the wagons of 
the peasants are beautifully decorated with landscapes 
and other pictures, and that the artists are particular 
to make their names conspicuous. 

In any case a certain artistic feeling is required 
in choosing the colors and rightly applying them even 
in house-painting and wagon decoration. And mean- 
while the child is learning how to wield his instru- 
ments. 

Place Cards 

Take a clover leaf and practice painting from it 
until able to make a copy good enough to paint upon 
a place card for the table. If the drawing be cor- 
rect, just a flat wash of color will do for the painting 
at first. 

An autumn leaf will do for a Thanksgiving card. 

See Festival Occasions for other ideas. 



The Paint Box ^"-i 

Tops 

If a button-mold top has been made, it may be 
painted in concentric rings or the entire surface may 
be neatly colored. 

Match-Safe 

This has been described upon page 34. 

Designs for Rugs {Paper, brown or white, paints or 

chalk) 

Let child draw or paint design for toy rug he 
is making for doll-house. He may make an oblong 
of one color, and at each end draw lines across, which 
are to be woven in another color. There may be 
one line at each end, or two, or three, etc. The ar- 
rangement of these lines and their distance apart allow 
much scope for taste and judgment. 

Designs for Wall-Papers, Oilcloths, Etc. {Parquetry 
papers, paste, etc.) 

1. Have child observe oilcloth designs and then 
with kindergarten parquetry papers try to make sim- 
ilar ones for doll-house. 

2. Having made pasted designs, let him copy 
same in water-colors. 

Design for Stained Glass Window {Transparent 

paper, scissors, zvhite paper, paste) 

Cut a circle out of the white paper. Fold it once, 
which gives a half-circle; fold again, which gives a 
quarter-circle. Holding it folded, cut several ellipses, 
triangles, etc., into the folded edges. Open out and 
you have framework of a rose-window. On the back 
of this paste a piece of transparent paper (see page 
75), red or green or yellow, and let the light shine 



yS Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

through. Hang in window for transparency. Suitable 
for Easter gift. Vary by cutting like cathedral win- 
dows. (See illustrations in dictionary under "Trac- 
ery/') 

PICTURE-STORY 

Chased by a Goose (Pencil, paper) 

Once some boys lived in a house (make a dot) 
surrounded by a strong fence (draw circle round the 
dot). A short distance off was a large pond (an oval. 




Chased by a Goose 

a little below and to the right of the circle). One 
day the boys ran down to the pond (draw curved 
line from house to pond) and began to splash in the 
water and to throw it at each other (a number of 
oblique lines from right hand end of pond). Some 
distance off lived some Indians in two wigwams (two 
oblique lines meeting at the top and next to them a 
similar pair, like two tents, just below the pond). 
When the Indians saw the boys throwing the water 



The Paint Box 79 

out they began to chase the boys, running up a zigzag 
path (from each tent draw an obUque line to the right 
for a short distance and then turn to the left till it 
meets the pond). The boys ran as fast as they could 
up a winding path parallel to the one they ran down 
(draw curving line parallel to first one), and then ran 
to the left partly around the fence surrounding the 
house. They had to run around the barn, too (an 
oblique line to the left and then another to the 
right till it meets the circle again), and when they 
looked behind them they found they had been chased 
by a goose ! ! ! 

A little practice will make this easy for the story 
teller. The original dot and circle form the head and 
eye of the goose. The curving path is the neck. The 
water splashing out makes the tail feathers. The 
wigwams and the zigzag path form the legs and feet, 
and the path around the barn makes the bill. 



CHAPTER VI 

DOLLS AND DOLL-HOUSES 

What little girl does not love a doll? The more 
variety in their size and style the better pleased is 
she. Below are a number of suggestions for simple 
home-made dollies that may be prepared as a birthday 
or other surprise by older brothers or sisters. 

A FEW DOLLS 

1. Clay-Pipe Doll 

Ink in the eyes, nose and mouth on the back of 
the bowl of a pipe; dress in calico gown and apron, 
and put on a sunbonnet to conceal the top of the 
pipe. 

2. Clothespin Doll 

Ink features upon the head of the clothespin and 
clothe as either boy or girl. 

3. Wishbone Doll (Wishbone, seaUng-zvax, material 

for trousers) 

Clothe the two limbs in trousers and ink in the 
features upon the flat joining bone. Feet may be made 
of sealing wax melted, pressed into shape and at- 
tached while still warm. 

4. Peanut Doll {Peanuts, sezving-silk, glue, thread 

and needle, silk for dress) 
80 



Dolls and Doll-Houses 8i 

Make into Chinese doll. Take one peanut and ink 
in the features, making the eyes slanting. Glue on 
a queue of braided silk. String- together several pea- 
nuts to make the body. To the upper one add on 
each side one or two as arms and string several to- 
gether to make legs. Dress in wide-sleeved jacket 
and wide-legged trousers of Oriental design. 

5. Yarn Doll (Skein of zvhite cotton yarn) 

Cut the skein into lengths of 12 inches. Double 
the skein over in the middle and tie a string tight 
around about two inches from the top, forming a neck 
and so making' the head. Tie another string further 
down for a waist line, but leave out a few threads on 
each side, of which to make two arms. Tie these 
near the ends to indicate wrists. Before tying the 
wrists cut the threads to right lengths for arms. The 
features may be put in with ink. 

6. Cork Doll (16 or more corks saved from olive hot- 

ties, etc., smooth wire or hairpins — three in num- 
ber ) 

String several corks upon the wire or hairpin for 
head and body. Through the second cork from the top 
run a hairpin sideways for arms, and fasten two corks 
upon each projecting end, cutting off any of the wire 
that may extend beyond the cork. Through the lower 
cork of the body run another hairpin and fasten two 
corks upon it for legs. Turn the end corks sideways 
to suggest feet. Dress the doll as desired. 

7. Paper Doll {Fashion papers and catalogues, scis- 

sors, paint, paste) 

Most little girls find great pleasure in making their 
own paper dollies and the garments therefor. Fashion 



82 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

papers and catalogues afford many dolls for cutting 
out, and tissue paper, crinkled paper, the lace paper 
found in candy boxes, etc., form the raw material for 
beautiful Parisian gowns, 

Dolls may of course be cut out of white paper and 
beautiful countenances painted upon them, or holes 
may be cut in the head for eyes, nose and mouth. 

8. Rag Doll (White cotton doth, cotton batting, 
paints, scissors, needle, thread, zvater-color paints 
or blueing and red ink, raveled rope, etc.) 
Cut a large newspaper pattern of a doll. Then 
double the cloth, pin the pattern upon it and cut the 
two sides for the doll. Run neatly around with close 
stitches, beginning at the neck, and when nearly fin- 
ished turn inside out;, stuff with the cotton batting, and 
sew up the head. Paint in the features or use blueing 
for eyes and red ink for mouth and cheeks. Ravelings 
of rope will make silky hair, and fingers may be indi- 
cated by stitches. 



SOME DOLL-HOUSES 

1. Cigar-Box House {Small cigar-box, paste, scis- 

sors, pictures, etc.) 

A cigar-box, small as it is, will give great delight 
to a child who is aided in furnishing a Httle room. 
Stand the box up on the long side. Paper with wall 
paper of a small design. Then furnish with things 
made by the child himself; pictures cut from cata- 
logues, and other accessories as described below. 

2. Pasteboard-Box House (Four pasteboard boxes, 

glue, paint) 



Dolls and Doll-Houses 83 

Select four strong pasteboard boxes of uniform 
size. Boxes such as the ''Martha Washington Can- 
dles" are packed in will do. They measure 7 x 11 
inches. Lay aside the covers and remove any paper 
which may be attached to the inside of the box. 
Spread a thick paste of Spaulding's glue or furniture 
glue over the surface of one side of a box. Fit one 
side of a second to this glued surface and put aside 
to dry. The third and fourth boxes are treated in the 
same manner. When securely glued in pairs place 
the boxes with open sides facing you. Cover upper 
outside surface of one pair of boxes with a thick coat- 
ing of glue and set the second pair on top of these in 
the same position. 

Now, one has a pasteboard house of four rooms 
— two upstairs and two downstairs. When securely 
fastened together cut in the partition separating the 
two upper rooms a door four inches high and three 
wide. Two windows measuring 3x4 inches, two 
inches from floor, may be cut in the back of the house. 
The same treatment may be given the rooms down- 
stairs. One may arrange a kitchen and dining-room 
downstairs and a parlor and bedroom upstairs. 

Oil paints, such as are used in painting furniture, 
which come already mixed in small cans, may be used 
for painting the exterior of the house. 

In using this paint it is well to remember always 
to put sufficient paint on the brush to cover the 
entire surface of the wall of the house, from edge to 
edge, without lifting the brush. A strict observance 
of this rule insures a neatly painted surface. If de- 
sired, one may use yellow, green, or any light color 
for the interior. 

Remnants of cartridge paper or paper decorated 
in small designs can often be obtained of paper- 



84 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

hangers for a small sum. It may be fastened to the 
floor to serve as a large rug. 

3. Soap-Box House {Three wooden soap-boxes, nails, 

saw, paint) 

Take three soap-boxes, wooden. Remove the 
covers from two and place one upon the other to make 
a two-story house. Put in partitions thus: Take a 
thin piece of board (from a smaller box), saw to 
needed height .and depth and nail it in place by driv- 
ing nails from above, below or the side, as the case 
may require. A stiff piece of cardboard (taken from 
a large box) may be made to serve as partition. If 
cut to the right size the pressure from top and bot- 
tom will hold in place. 

By taking tzuo small boxes for the upper floor 
instead of one large one the space which would be 
naturally left between can be made into a hallway. 
Stairs ma}^ then be made of stiff cardboard, folded 
into steps, with a strip of obliquely-cut paper pasted 
along the edges of the steps to keep them in place. 

If windows and doorways are desired they must 
be cut or sawed in after being drawn where desired 
in pencil. 

The third box is for the gable roof. It is to be 
placed on top of the upper floor so that its sides slant 
for the roof. Put in place and then mark off all that 
needs to be sawed away. When ready to be fixed 
permanently put in place and nail through. 

The furnishing of the little house gives much 
scope for ingenuity and invention as well as for the 
exercise of good sense and good taste. 

The exterior of the house can be painted with 
house paint, and this gives occasion for the broad use 



Dolls and Doll-Houses 85 

of the larger muscles, and physiologists tell us that the 
little child should exercise the larger muscles and 
nerves while the finer ones are still undeveloped. 

Tiling (Corrugated packing cardboard, tacks, ham- 
mer) 

The roof may be given a tiled effect by covering 
with corrugated packing cardboard saved from pack- 
ages. Tack this on. 

Papering 

1. Paper with wall-paper. Scraps of it may be 
saved when the home is being papered. 

2. Oil-cloth effects may be obtained by pasting 
on floors or walls designs made with the kindergarten 
parquetry papers. (See page 168.) 

3. Friezes may be made in the same way by using 
circles and squares in rows, alternately or successively. 



DOLL FURNITURE 

1. Cork. (See page 37.) 

2. Block (Blocks of wood or kindergarten blocks, 

cubes and oblongs) 

Glue these blocks together, three cubes making 
a little chair, and cubes and oblongs making a bed or 
sofa. Get the carpenter to saw a number of blocks 
of different shapes and sizes and let the child use his 
invention in putting them together. The furniture 
may be painted or gilded. 

3. Paper or Cardboard 

Take a piece of paper 1x2 inches. Fold cross- 



86 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

wise. Make a dot Y^ inch from the folded edge and 
}i inch from right hand edge. Make dot Y^ inch from 
fold and >^ inch from left hand edge. From open 
edges opposite fold make two parallel cuts to these 
dots. These cuts make the four legs. When opened 
out a table is seen with two extensions for drop-leaf. 
Cut one of these extensions off and a chair is made. 
If the original paper is longer and wider it can be 
made into a bed, what were the leaves of the table be- 
ing bent up into the head and foot of the bed. An in- 
genious child can vary and elaborate this furniture ad 
infinitum. The backs can be cut into fancy form and 
arms given to chairs and sofa. 

Use one of these paper chairs for a model, place 
on cardboard and draw around the outline and so 
obtain a stiifer bit of furniture. Rockers can be drawn, 
added to the feet, and cut out, thus making a rocking 
chair. 

SPECIAL ARTICLES OF FURNITURE 

Pictures and Clocks {Trade journals, scissors) 
Cut from trade journals and attach to walls. 

Lamp (Twist spool, toothpick, half egg-shell, wax) 

Paste a bit of paper on top and bottom of twist 
spool. Through this stick a toothpick, which the 
paper should hold firmly. Upon the top of the tooth- 
pick fasten a half egg-shell for a globe with bit of 
wax or glue. 

Stove (Cardboard, black ink or paint) 

Make oblong box of cardboard. Turn upside 
down and cut openings for top of stove. Make a 
small hole in the back of the stove and insert in it a 



Dolls and Doll-Houses 87 

piece of paper rolled into a stove-pipe and pasted. 
Cut openings in front for the grate and ovens, leaving 
a door for the latter. Ink or paint black. 

Windows (Thin white paper, oil, glue) 

Brush a piece of white paper over with ordinary 
machine oil, or olive oil, or dip it in the oil and when 
dry glue in for windows, telling the children that not 
very long ago that was the only way in which light 
was admitted to many houses before glass became so 
common. 

Isinglass may also be put in for windows. 

Doll's Bedstead (Cigar-box, glue, gilt-headed tacks) 
Saw the cover of box into two pieces, one for the 
head and one for the foot. Fasten in place to the box 
with the decorative tacks. Legs may be attached if 
desired. 

Curtains (Cheesecloth or lace, needle, thread) 

Cut small squares of cheesecloth and let the child 
hem and put in windows for curtains. Do not insist 
on very fine sewing for beginners. Curtains may be 
edged with lace, or the entire curtain may be made 
of lace, tacked or glued to inside of window. 

Telephone ( Tzvo spools, nail, tin mucilage top, string, 

small flat block) 

Take a flat piece of wood about two inches square. 
Glue to it the flat end of small spool. That is the 
'phone. Another spool is the receiver hanging, when 
not in use, upon a nail driven into the wood. The 
mucilage top has the slot into which to drop the im- 
aginary nickel. 



88 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 



MISCELLANEOUS 

Grocery Store (Wooden soap-box, small cardboard 
box, scales, toy barrels, tiny pill boxes, sand, 
pebbles, etc.) 

A small wooden box makes the store. A smaller 
cardboard box turned upside down will make the 
counter, or small pieces of wood can be nailed to- 
gether by the little amateur carpenter. Buy toy scales 
or make some- as described below. Small barrels can 
be obtained at toy store or little bottles and boxes can 
be filled with small quantities of tea and sugar, with 
tiny bags of pebbles for potatoes, apples, etc. Cran- 
berries make acceptable play apples. Corn and nuts also 
will find places. Tacks can be hammered in on which 
to hang tiny brooms, and by hammering in two long 
nails and laying a narrow board upon them a shelf 
can be made for the canned vegetables. Let the 
children make their own brown paper bags, looking at 
a real one for a model. 

Scales (Tz(jo small square cardboard boxes, made or 
bought, tzvine, skewer or other slender stick of 
zvood or metal) 

In each of the four sides of a box make a small 
hole near the top. Take two pieces of twine each four 
times the width of the box. Tie one of these through 
two opposite holes of the box and the other piece 
through the two other holes, being sure that the 
strings when tied are of equal length. These two 
strings cross each other. In the middle, exactly where 
they cross, tie one end of a string three inches long. 
Raise the box by this string and it should hang ex- 
actly true. Arrange the other box in the same way. 



Dolls and Doll-Houses 89 

Now take the skewer and exactly in the middle 
tie a string of three inches. To the ends of the stick 
tie the ends of the twine already tied to the boxes. 
Raise the skewer by this string and the boxes should 
hang evenly, like scales. If they do not, slide one or 
the other back and forth until they do balance. 

Use in the toy grocery store. Playing store is 
always a fine opportunity for indicating lessons of 
honesty in business. Train the child to give fair 
weight and measure^ even in play, 

Merry-Go-Round for Dolls (Cardboard, large rib- 
bon spool, stiff paper or kindergarten folding 
paper, slender pencil, tiny Hag) 
Cut two circles of cardboard, one five inches in 
diameter ; the other, ten to twelve. Using the smaller 
one as a base, stand on it a large ribbon spool (spool 
around which baby ribbon comes). Glue the large cir- 
cle to the other end of the spool, parallel to the other 
lower circle. Make a hole in each circle. Run a slen- 
der pencil through the upper cardboard, then through 
the spool, and then through the lower circle, making 
an axis round which the spool may revolve, carrying 
with it the upper circle. 

On the upper circle paste alternately animals cut 
from paper or cardboard, and benches also cut from 
cardboard. Elegance may be added by gilding the 
spool and letting a tiny flag float from the point of the 
pencil. Cut out paper dolls for a ride. 

Dolls' Park {Starch-box, earth, moss, tzvigs, tiny 

mirror, etc.) 

Fill the box with earth and sand for a founda- 
tion, and then with moss, twigs, elder-berry sprigs. 



90 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

etc., fill in the fairy-like details. A toy swan or boat 
adds to the reality. 

Rugs for Doll-House 

1. Make the loom by taking a slate and knocking 
out the slate so as to leave the frame intact. Ham- 
mer a row of small nails half an inch apart along the 
two narrow sides. Then make the warp by stringing 
strong cord back and forth across the nails.' Tie first 
around one corner nail; carry to and around the two 
nails opposite, then back and around the next two, and 
so back and forth till it is all strung. The rows of 
cord should be parallel. 

2. Instead of a slate, looms of various sizes may 
be roughly made of four narrow pieces of wood meas- 
ured, sawed, and nailed together at the corners. A 
curtain slat could be so used, or wooden boxes will 
furnish raw material for such. A loom 4x6 inches 
is a good size for a beginner. 

For woof^ use coarse worsted or ribbon to begin 
with, or colored cheesecloth torn into narrow strips. 

Use the fingers at first, later a bodkin, weaving 
under one cord of the warp and over one, back and 
forth, till a tiny rug is made. Fasten ends by weav- 
ing in and out a short distance into body of rug. At 
first make rug all of one color, or a rag-carpet effect 
can be obtained by tying into a long string worsteds 
of various colors. If a plain color is used a border 
can be made by running in a strand or so of a dif- 
ferent color. 

Let the child employ his artistic and creative 
abilities in making designs for the rug with paints or 
crayons. Draw an oblong of one color with stripes 
across the ends, one, two or three in number, at dif- 
ferent distances apart. Variety can be secured by 



Dolls and Doll-Houses 91 

taking up two threads at a time or running under one 
and over tzvo, etc. Warn the child not to draw the 
threads too closely or the rug will have the shape of 
an hour-glass when finished. 

A washcloth can be made thus by weaving it of 
narrow pieces of cheesecloth. 

Take the rug or cloth off the loom by raising 
carefully over the nails. 

3. Another simple kind of loom is made by tak- 
ing a piece of cardboard measuring 6x8 inches. 
Draw a row of eight dots half an inch apart. Oppo- 
site these, and six inches away, draw another row. 
With strong cord sew through these a set of straight 
stitches, six inches long and half an inch apart. This 
makes the warp. Run the worsted woof under and 
over these cords as in any weaving, and tear the card- 
board away when finished. 



CHAPTER VII 
PLAYS AND GAMES 

In playing games children learn lessons of fair 
play, of mutual forbearance and patience, and of 
letting a playfellow ''have a chance," which they learn 
in no other way. Apart from the important bodily 
exercise and development gained in the active physical 
games, the demand upon mental and moral qualities 
is of immeasurable value. 

A child should never be permitted to cheat at a 
game, even "in fun." A game loses significance as a 
game when one person does not "play fair." The 
child to whom even the thought of so doing is impos- 
sible begins the race of life with an immense advan- 
tage, for we believe that the foundation for all real 
life is character. 

We give a few games which have been tried with 
success either in the home, the kindergarten, or the 
playground. Some of these plays require materials; 
others do not. In some cases instructions are given 
for making the required materials. 



TAG GAMES 

Circle Tag 

One person stands in the center of a ring of chil- 
dren and each one in the ring holds out his right 
hand. The one in the middle tags one of the hands 

92 



Plays and Games 93 

and the owner immediately gives chase till he catches 
the pursued. 

Vary by having both tagged and tagger skip, 
hop, etc., instead of run. 

Racing Tag 

Players form circle. One goes outside the ring 
and runs or walks around, suddenly quietly touching 
another player, who immediately races with him, go- 
ing around the ring in opposite direction. 

Vary by having contestants bow three times as 
they pass each other. 

Wood, Iron or Paper Tag 

One child chases another who touches for goal 
anything made of wood, or iron, or paper, etc., as has 
been decided upon beforehand. If the pursued is 
caught before he succeeds in touching such object, 
he becomes "it.'' The goal may be a wooden stick 
or tree, or an iron rake, or a paper book, etc. 

Japanese Tag 

Form a long line of children, one following 
closely behind another in a march or run. One 
child outside the line is "it." He tries to tag some 
one in the line. The leader endeavors to prevent this 
by twisting his file rapidly in and out in a curving 
line, and, by so throwing out his arms, as to protect the 
threatened one, as the line twists and turns with him. 
If one is tagged, the leader becomes "it." The leader 
and his train of children must of course be alert in 
mind and active in body. 

Cross-Tag 

Of a group of children the one who Is "it" chases 



94 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

any one he chooses to begin with, but if another child 
runs in between the chased and the chaser, the chaser 
must follow the one who has thus run in between. If 
he shows signs of fatigue a third child may run across 
between the two, etc., he then being chased until the 
tagger succeeds in catching some one, who in turn be- 
comes "it." 



RACES 

AlHed to the tag games are the racing games, of 
which we give only two. 

Potato Race {Tzvelve potatoes, two tablespoons) 

Place six potatoes in a row about three feet apart. 
Place six others in a parallel row some distance away. 
Give two players each a spoon, and at a signal they 
start to race. Each player runs up his row, picking 
up the potatoes, one by one, carrying each in turn to 
a given point, then coming back for another potato, 
till all are thus carried. The left hand must not assist. 
The one who first gets his potatoes safely to the spot 
decided upon wins. 

Clothespin Race {Handful of clothespins) 

Arrange the children in two rows, equal in num- 
ber. Give the first child a handful of clothespins, laid 
straight. At a signal he passes them down the line. 
If one is dropped it must be picked up by the one 
dropping it and put as before with the others and then 
passed on. Reaching the end of the line, they are at 
once passed back again to the starting point. The side 
wins which first get back all the pins. 



Plays and Games 95 



AIMING GAMES WITH BEAN-BAGS 

Kinds of Bags (i. Ticking or strong calico, strong 
thread, needle, baking-beans. 2. Felt, seiving 
silk) 

1. Make a strong bag- of bright colored material, 
6x8 inches in size. Fill with the ordinary baking- 
beans and overhand the top. 

2. Take a piece of felt or any pretty strong ma- 
terial which will bear the wear and tear of the game. 
Cut into two circles 5 or 6 inches in diameter. Sew 
together on the wrong side, with a seam of one fourth 
inch. Then cut in the center a small circle half an 
inch in diameter. Turn the odd-shaped bag inside 
out, fill with beans and overhand the small circular 
opening with close stitches of silk. These bags can 
be more easily caught than balls by little hands. 

Kinds of Games 

Children usually hand down familiar games from 
one generation to another. Here are a few : 

1. Children stand in a circle with one in the cen- 
ter who throws the bag to each in turn all around the 
ring, or else tries to catch some one napping by throw- 
ing it unexpectedly. 

2. Vary by having children stand in a row and 
the leader throws to each in turn. Or children stand 
in opposite rows and every one in one line has a bag 
which all throw in unison to the child opposite. These 
in turn throw back in perfect rythm. 

3. Vary again by tossing into the air in unison. 
The accompaniment of music is always a thing to 
be desired in such rythmic games. 



96 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

4. One child stands in center of ring and tries 
to catch the bag as it is tossed across to some one on 
the other side of the ring. 



AIMING GAMES WITH BALLS 

The games just described may be played with 
balls as well as with bean-bags, and thus require more 
co-ordination on the part of the child's muscles. We 
give a few other games in addition. 

Counting-Ball 

Let one child bounce the ball, striking it from 
above with the palm of his hand and counting one, 
two, etc., until he fails to hit it, when another child 
takes a turn. 

Guess-Ball 

A row of players number off from one end i, 2, 
3, 4, etc. The last number steps in front of the row 
a distance such as may be needed to secure certainty 
of aim and touch on the part of those who throw the 
ball. The player in front stands with his back to the 
others. Those in the row now begin to pass the ball 
sideways from one to the other. The player in front 
having counted a given number, the one who happens 
to hold the ball at the time must at once throw it at 
the player in front. If struck, the latter turns quickly 
and tries to judge from the attitudes of the various 
players which one threw the ball. If he is right, 
places are exchanged. If he guesses wrong, the game 
continues as before. 

Cup and Ball (Cardboard, worsted, funnel) 

Make the ball by cutting from cardboard two 



Plays and Games 97 

circles about two inches in diameter. Inside the large 
circles draw smaller ones about one-half inch in diam- 
eter. Cut the smaller circles entirely out, thus leaving 
a hole in the middle of each large circle. Keep these 
two large circles together. Now, with a needle, wind 
worsted round and round through the opening in the 
two circles until it is completely filled, so that the 
needle cannot be pushed through. Hold in the left 
hand, and with sharp pointed scissors cut the worsted 
at the edge of the circles, spread the circles a little 
apart, and tie a strong thread firmly around the worsted 
between the two cardboard circles. Then tear the 
cardboard circles away and a pretty ball remains. Tie 
this ball, with a string twelve inches long, to a kitchen 
funnel, and let the child try to catch the ball in the 
funnel. 

AIMING GAMES— MISCELLANEOUS 

Ring-Toss {Small wooden box, broom-handle or 
dozvel, nail or glue, embroidery rings or hoops of 
small keg) 

Saw a foot from a broom-handle or dowel (a 
child's broom will best serve the purpose). Glue or 
nail this to a box. Let the child practice tossing over 
this post rings taken from a small keg ; or embroidery 
rings may be used. These may be wound around with 
bright colored strips of lining or with ribbon. The 
rings should be graduated in size. 

Grace-Hoops {Basket reeds, raifia) 

Make a wand of three or four basket reeds cut 
into two foot lengths. Wind these more or less 
loosely with string, just so as to hold them together. 
Then wind around and around closely and smoothly 
with a strand of raffia so as to bind firmly together. 



98 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

If held smoothly, several strands of raffia may be used 
at one time. If reeds are not to be had lilac branches 
may be used instead. The result should be a wand 
firm and stiff. 

Make the hoops by soaking the reeds first in 
water for an hour to make flexible. They should be 
cut into lengths of about 2^ feet. Curve several into 
a hoop and tie. Then wind smoothly and firmly with 
the raffia. The ends of the latter may be disposed of 
by threading .upon a large needle and running it a 
short distance in and out of the part already wound. 

Two wands and one hoop are required for each 
player. One tosses a ring from her two wands to her 
opponent, who must catch it upon her own wands. 

This once popular game cultivates both alertness 
and grace. 

In the kindergarten the children use wand and 
ring in playing "knights." One child holds the ring 
while the little knight gallops around the circle on 
an imaginary steed and tries to capture the ring on 
his lance (wand), as at an old-time tournament. 

Croquet with Peas (Peas, hairpins or double-headed 

tacks, nail or match, toothpick, cork, cover of 

starch-box) 

Bend hairpins into shape or use double-headed 
tacks as wickets. Insert into the cover of a wooden 
starch-box for ground. For a stake use a nail or a 
painted match-stick. Sharpen this to a point and 
insert it in a hole previously made by hammering in 
a nail. Make mallets by inserting matches or tooth- 
picks into heads made of small pieces of cork. Use 
peas for balls. 

Put the whole outfit in a box and give to little 
sister for her doll's birthday. 



Plays and Games 99 

Egg-Shell Game (Egg-shell, long table, four tum- 
blers) 

Blow an eg-g--shell and paint with some college 
colors as a foot-ball. Take four tumblers and place 
two at one end of a long table for goals and two at 
the opposite end for goals, the two which make a pair 
being four inches apart. Divide the party into two 
competing groups. Those on one side must try to 
blow the shell between the tumblers of their opponents. 
These must try to defend their end of the table and at 
the same time try to blow the shell between the tum- 
blers of their opponents. This makes a merry game 
for young people. 



Cherry-Stone Game (Save and dry a do sen or more 

cherry-stones) 

Scatter the stones lightly on the table. They will 
fall so that some lie closely together, others far apart. 
The first player selects any two stones and draws his 
finger between them so that he touches neither. If 
he succeeds thus far he must then try to snap one 
(with thumb and middle finger) so that it strikes the 
other. If this succeeds also the two stones belong to 
him and he has another turn, continuing until he either 
touches a stone in trying to draw a finger between two 
or fails to make one of the two hit the other. The 
second player will not fare so well, because the re- 
maining pairs will lie closer together than those first 
chosen, so that great care will be needed in drawing 
the finger between two. Sometimes it is necessary 
to use the little finger. At the end the player having 
most stones wins the game. The stones may be dyed 
or painted if desired. The game suggests tiddledy- 
winks and crokinole. 



loo Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

Donkey Game (Picture of a donkey, minus a tail, and 

one dozen separate tails. These may he bought 

in large sheets for ten cents, but may be cut out 

of paper if drawn first by skilful hands) 

Pin the picture to the wall in some spot where it 

will not deface it. Give each player a tail with a pin 

sticking through it. Blindfold him. Turn him around 

three times and send him in the direction of the 

picture to pin the tail on the donkey. The one who 

succeeds in. fastening a tail nearest to the proper place 

wins the game. 

Blowing Out the Candle ( Candle in candlestick ) 

Place a candle on the table. Blindfold a player, 
turn him around three times about six feet from the 
candle. Then let him try to find his way towards it 
and blow it out. He may have three trials. 



MISCELLANEOUS PLAYS 

The Countess of the Huggermuggers {Two candles 

in candlesticks) 

Give two players each a candle. They take places 
about eight feet apart. Then each takes a step for- 
ward at the same time and makes a solemn bow without 
smiling ; then another step and bow ; and then a third. 
Then one says solemnly, "The Countess of the Hugger- 
muggers is dead." The other one rejoins, "I am very 
sorry to hear it." The first one replies, "So am I." 
Then each takes three steps backward, with a bow 
each time, and all without a smile. Whoever smiles 
must give up his place to another player. 



Plays and Games 



lOI 



Rope and Sandbag {Rope ten feet long, with handle 
at one end which may he made hy knotting the 
rope, and a sandbag or other weight at the other. 
Sandbag may be made of strong goods sewed into 
a bag and filled with sand. In a kindergarten a 
zveight has been improvised out of a child's 
rubber shoe) 

Some one stands in the center of a circle of chil- 
dren and swings the rope so that the weight just 
grazes the ground. The children must be sufficiently 
attentive and agile to evade the rope by jumping over 
it as it passes them. Do not begin until the rope has 
acquired momentum enough to move with a degree of 
regularity. 

Omnibus Swing (Strong rope or chain, staples, soap- 
box, wooden plank, nails) 

If fortunate enough to have a barn or summer- 
house, or a playroom with a strong beam in the roof 



nnrtn 



J-IO. 



^•' ■ '' ' 'u>L> 



Omnibus Swing. 

or ceiling, piace a pair of strong staples in the beam 
(hammock hooks would serve the same purpose) a 



I02 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

few inches apart. Six feet from these place another 
pair of staples in the beam. From each pair of staples 
or hooks suspend a loop of rope so that it comes about 
one foot from the floor. 

Take a plank about eight feet long and one foot 
wide and cut four notches in it, two on each side, 
about six inches from the ends. Place the plank so 
that it hangs held by the two ropes, which slip into 
the notches in the plank, the notches keeping the ropes 
in place. Upon this several children can swing back 
and forth lengthwise, and so play at rowing, riding, 
trolleying, etc., as imagination dictates. If a soap- 
box be nailed at one end the baby may be put into this 
for a safe ride. 

Anagrams (Tinted Bristol board, black ink or paint, 

heavy pen or brush) 

Cut the Bristol board into i-inch squares and let 
the child paint or draw upon these squares the letters 
of the alphabet, one letter to each square. There 
should be at least a dozen of each letter and many 
more A's, E's and S's, as these letters occur frequently 
in English words. Two games may be played with 
these letters as follows : 

1. Give the child the four or five letters that com- 
pose a word and let him try to put them together in 
the right way as : H-s-e-r-o (Horse). 

2. Several players are needed for this game. The 
cards must be placed upside down in a box so that the 
letters are not seen. Each player takes a letter in 
turn, the first time round, and places it in the centre 
of the table. At the second time round, each, as he 
takes a square from the box, tries to form a word 
with it, either by using a letter from the central pool 
or by taking away an opponent's word. If he takes 



Plays and Games 103 

from an opponent he must take an entire word. As 
he forms a word he places it before himself, the aim 
being to get five or ten words before any opponent 
does. If he can form no word he puts his letter in the 
pool. The number of words making the game must 
be agreed upon beforehand. For example : In the pool 
are placed in turn the letters g, h, f, t. Player I, con- 
tinuing, draws from the box the letter a and with the 
letters in the pool can form bat, which he places in 
front of him, leaving g and / in the pool. Player II 
draws an /, and as he can form no word, he puts it in 
the pool. Player III draws an e and takes away the 
bat of No. I, turning it into beat. Player II draws an 
Oy which with the g from the pool, he turns into go. 
Player I then draws again^ and so the game continues 
until one player has, we will say, five words, the num- 
ber agreed upon, and so wins. 

Weighing Honey 

One child crouches, clasping his hands beneath 
his knees tightly. Two older persons then take the 
handles of the honey- jar (the child's arms) and swing 
him back and forth, counting one, two, three, etc., 
with each swing until the hands give way. The num- 
ber of counts tells the number of pounds in the jar. 



SUGGESTIONS FOR CHILDREN'S PARTIES 

Peanut Party (Several quarts of peanuts, and a pretty 
little bag measuring 6x8 inches for each guest) 
Before the little guests arrive, hide the peanuts 
in corners, under cushions^ and in all possible hiding- 
places, singly, or two or three together. At a signal 
all of the children begin to search for the peanuts. 



I04 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

The one findings the most wins. Give a reward of a 
peanut doll. (See page 80.) 

In no such games of competition is it a good plan 
to have expensive prizes. That plan ministers to a 
weakness inherent perhaps in human nature, but one 
to be discouraged — the desire to win, not for the sake 
of success, but for the sake of the prize. The giving 
of a valuable prize engenders feelings of envy and 
caters too much to the gambling instinct. It tends to 
destroy the spirit of fun and play which is the real 
object of a social gathering. 

A part of such an entertainment would appro- 
priately be the making of peanut taffy or of peanut 
animals. (See page 23.) 

Spider-Web Party (Balls of pretty twine, one color 

for each guest) 

Take a ball of twine and to the end attach a card 
bearing the name of one guest. Then unwind it, twist- 
ing it around different articles of furniture, chairs, 
table-legs, door-knob, chandelier, etc., till the thread 
is judged to be long enough. Then cut, and to this 
end tie some trifling gift. Arrange in this way one 
ball and gift for each child expected. When the time 
for playing the game arrives, give to each child the 
card bearing his name, to which twine is attached. At 
the signal for beginning, each one follows up his line, 
unwinding and disentangling it as he goes along, till 
the end of the cord bearing the gift is reached. As 
each little visitor receives something, there is no un- 
wholesome spirit of rivalry. 

Thimble-Biscuit Party (Dough, silver thimbles) 

While making biscuits for supper give the little 
child a silver thimble to use as a biscuit cutter, first 



Plays and Games 105 

rolling the dough to a thickness one-third the height of 
the thimble. When he has made a good array put 
them into the oven. They will bake quickly and to 
the child will seem to surpass the best cake made. 

Invite a group of little children to a thimble- 
biscuit party. A dough of flour, water or milk, a little 
salt and baking powder will be sufficient and the 
little workers will be very happy making the wee bis- 
cuits. Only silver thimbles should be used. 

While the biscuits are baking a few games, nota- 
bly "Hide the Thimble," will pass the time. Served 
with a little jam or milk they will make a delicious 
repast, with dolls and Teddy Bears for company. 

Butterfly Party (White paper, oil paints, in tubes) 

Uncovering the tube, make a dab of paint with it 
near middle of a sheet of paper. Immediately beneath 
make a long stroke of another color. Now fold over 
lengthwise along the middle of the long line of paint. 
While folded press and smooth with finger over the 
first spot. This when opened will be the head of the 
butterfly. Keep paper still folded, however, and press 
along the line of paint to make body and then make a 
side pressure to make the wings. Open out, and there 
is the general suggestion of a beautiful butterfly, which, 
held up so that the light shines through, may be really 
very pretty. A little experiment will show how im- 
provements can be made. Any color may be used. 
Invite your friends to an evening butterfly party and 
give a prize for the best one made ; the prize may very 
suitably be something in butterfly form; a penwiper, 
or lamp-shade, or something similar. 

Autograph Picture (Ink, paper, coarse pen) 

At the butterfly party, autograph portraits also 



io6 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

may be made. With a coarse pen, filled with ink, 
each person writes his own name in turn. Take the 
flowing autograph, fold it lengthwise through the mid- 
dle and crease, making special pressure at the top and 
drawing out slightly at the side. Open up and the 
result is a queer portrait of the owner of the autograph 
with suggestion of head and arms. 

Enclose autograph on two sides by straight lines ; 
when folded and then opened, the portrait will be 
framed. 



CHAPTER VIII 

FESTIVAL OCCASIONS 

Festivals have always held an important place in 
the life of home and community. The anniversary of 
the day of birth, or of marriage, the day of gradua- 
tion, or of coming* of age — what opportunities they 
offer for strengthening the ties of kinship, for creating 
hallowed associations that may often prove bulwarks 
of safety in later days of temptation and sorrow ! 

Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, are now Na- 
tional holidays with us, and our celebration of these 
beautiful festivals is one more link in the chain which 
binds us to all races and creeds ; for the return of the sun 
at the winter solstice, the renewal of life in the spring, 
the ingathering of fruits in the autumn, have appealed 
to all peoples as fitting occasions for the expression 
of religious joy and for mutual congratulations upon 
dangers past and the results of work accomplished. 

In the joy of such occasions, we must not let them 
degenerate into the mere mercenary exchange of ma- 
terial gifts. 

Christmas is preeminently the children's day, 
when we annually remind ourselves of the divinity 
inherent in all childhood, and desire to bring joy to 
all children and goodwill to all peoples. 

Easter means most to the adult who has ex- 
perienced sorrow and disappointment and has known 
something of the anguish and awe and deepening of 
life that comes with the message of Death. The 
pleasure of the child in the hare and the Easter Qgg 

107 



io8 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

must not be allowed altogether to overbalance the 
wondrous symbolism of the Easter lily. 

The National holidays — Washington's Birthday, 
Memorial Day, Independence Day, etc. — take us out- 
side the Hmits of the home and remind us that, as 
we thank the men and women of the past for the 
privileges of the present which we owe to their sac- 
rifices and aspirations, so we should realize our obliga- 
tions towards the future. 

In celebrating these different festivals, let the 
child bear his small part. We give a few ideas of 
things which he may do or make. It is these early 
impressions which are the lasting ones. The actual 
service demanded of the child counts much in the for- 
mation of character, though even more important is 
the spirit which radiates at such times from the par- 
ents and friends who celebrate or prepare to celebrate 
these recurrent holidays. It is the "spirit which giv- 
eth life/' here, as everywhere. 

The suggestions will be given in the order in 
which the holidays come in the year. Where an arti- 
cle is described in another part of the book, it will 
not be repeated, but the page number will be given for 
reference. 



NEW YEAR'S DAY 

Place Cards at Table (White card, pressed four-leaf 
clover, or paints) 

1. Having found and pressed four-leaved clovers 
in the days of summer, paste one lightly to each place 
card as symbol of good-luck. 

2. Copy a clover-leaf with paints and write on 
card some appropriate quotation signifying good-will. 



Festival Occasions 109 

Decorated Note Paper (Writing paper, leaf, paste 

or paints) 

Paste a real clover leaf (or paint one) on the 
writing paper upon which you may be writing a New 
Year's letter to your friend. 

Calendar {12 oblong blotters, white or colored, ribbon 
to match, i inch wide and about ^ yards long, 
tiny calendar pad, paste) 

Take the calendar pad apart and paste the leaf for 
each month upon one of the blotters. Then tie the 
blotters together with the ribbon. This makes suit- 
able New Year's gift. (See also page 74.) 

New Year's Bells (Red cardboard, scissors, paste, 

ribbon) 

Cut out a bell and paste a calendar pad on it. 
Or cut 12 small bells and paste one leaf of calendar 
pad on each, stringing all together with ribbon. 

Good-Luck Pigs 

With our German population the pig signifies 
"good-luck," and at New Year's pigs, big and little, 
made of various materials, are quite in order. A fa- 
vorite candy, made of sugar and bitter-almond, is 
in the shape of a pig, and is used to present to friends 
at this holiday time. Many suggestions already given 
may be carried out with the pig idea in mind. 

Midnight Watching 

If friends stay up to watch the Old Year out, 
any of the above-named articles may be made by the 
children for souvenirs. A poem which may suitably 
be read at this time is Tennyson's "Ring Out, Wild 
Bells;" also, Longfellow's "The Poet's Calendar." A 



no Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

timely topic for discussion is the never-answered ques- 
tion : When does the new century begin — with Janu- 
ary I, 1900, or 1901 ? Timothy Dwight, President of 
Yale College, 1795-18 17, wrote some clever verses 
apropos of the subject when he helped usher in the 
19th Century. 

ST. VALENTINE'S DAY 

Save lace papers from candy and soap boxes and 
they will prove useful when St. Valentine's Day comes 
in making Valentines. With these papers and scis- 
sors, paste, scrap pictures of flowers, doves, etc., the 
children will spend happy hours in making these 
dainty souvenirs. We give a few directions for mak- 
ing some such. 

Single Hearts {Red cardboard, lace paper, scrap pict- 
ures, scissors, paste) 

Cut a heart out of the cardboard and around the 
edge paste a border of lace paper, fulHng slightly and 
attaching it to the under side of the heart. In the 
centre of the upper side of the heart paste a pretty 
scrap picture. This make a simple but effective 
Valentine. 

Chain of Hearts (Red cardboard, scissors, scrap pic- 
tures, paste, red ribbon) 
Cut several hearts out of the cardboard, and, after 

punching holes in the top and bottom of each one, 

string them together, pasting a scrap picture on each 

one if that added touch is desired. 

Double Hearts (Red cardboard, scissors, paste, strip 
of red paper) 
Cut two hearts of different sizes. Then take a 



Festival Occasions iii 

narrow strip of red paper measuring- ^ x i inch and 
fold it into thirds. While still folded attach one end 
of this paper to the centre of the upper side of the 
large heart and the other end to the centre of the 
lozver side of the smaller heart. This unites the two, 
one resting on top of the other, the paper acting 
as a kind of spring to raise one above the other. In- 
stead of a small heart a scrap picture may be thus 
attached on the larger heart. 

In cutting out these hearts it may be necessary 
first to cut a pattern out of newspaper, making sev- 
eral trials before a satisfactory model is secured. 

Lacy Valentine (Gold or silver paper, white tissue 

paper, scrap pictures, paste) 

Cut from a sheet of gold or silver paper a piece 
measuring 5x7 inches. Fold this once through the 
middle so as to make a book of 35^ x 5 inches. Cut a 
piece from the tissue paper of 33^ x 5 inches. Fold 
this two or three times and cut into it tiny perforations 
— oblongs, diamonds, circles, hearts, etc. Then open 
out and observe the lacey effect. Practice this until 
something pretty and dainty is secured. Then upon 
the centre of the book paste a scrap picture and at- 
tach the tissue paper by its edges to the Valentine 
in such a way that the picture shows a little between 
the perforations. A narrow strip of stiff paper folded 
in three, to give the effect of a spring as described 
above, m.ay be used at each corner. Inside of the 
booklet paste other pictures as fancy dictates. Also 
write therein some appropriate lines. 

Spider-Web Design {Gold or silver paper, Bristol 
hoard, scrap picture, paste, scissors) 
Cut a circle of gold or silver paper, three or four 



112 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

inches in diameter. Fold once, making- a semi-circle; 
fold once more making a quarter-circle. Beginning 
at the point of the folded paper, make a tiny cut from 
one edge towards the other, but do not cut the point 
entirely off. Turn the paper and make a second cut 
parallel to the first about % inch away, the cut being 
from the other edge of the paper. Turn again and 
make a third cut. Each time the cuts grow in length 
owing to the increasing width of the triangle or quar- 
ter-circle, Continue thus until the circumference of 
the folded circle is reached. Then open out and you 
have a silver spider-web effect. Take a square or 
circle somewhat larger than the web, and in its centre 
paste a pretty bird, flower, or maiden. Then paste 
the web upon this background, putting the paste along 
the edges of the web, but leaving the centre free, so 
that the child can raise it and peer through the slits 
at the picture beneath. 

Let city children send to country cousins scrap 
pictures, colored papers, etc., and sample Valentines, 
so that their friends may have the pleasure of making 
and giving. 

Valentine Dinner 

Soup: Put into the clear soup the noodle hearts, 
which may be purchased at a grocery store, or have 
a vegetable soup, slicing the vegetables and cutting 
them into little hearts with a knife. 

Meat: Make chicken or beef croquettes, mold- 
ing them like hearts. 

Vegetables: Slice the boiled carrots and pota- 
toes and cut into heart shapes. 

Bread: Cut into hearts. 



Festival Occasions 113 

Salad: Upon green lettuce leaves place hearts 
cut from beets. 

Dessert: Ice cream may be obtained in the 
form of a Cupid or something similar, and cake may 
be decorated with white icing having pink hearts out- 
lined upon it. The peppermint candies in the shape 
of hearts, which have sentiments printed upon them, 
may be passed either at the beginning or the end of 
the meal. Cut in half, placing the halves in separate 
dishes; then pass one dish to the girls and the other 
to the boys, and by matching halves partners may be 
found. Let the children, however, remain unconscious 
of the distinction of sex as many years as possible. 

In making preparations for the dinner let the 
children help. 

Place Cards for Dinner {Red paper, white cardboard, 

scissors, pencil) 

Cut a heart from the red paper. From the white, 
cut an arrow, drawing it after a pattern found in 
some book. Making two slits in the heart, run the 
arrow through it. On the reverse side of the heart 
write the name of the guest. 

Decorations for Valentine Dinner {Red cardboard, 

red ribbon) 

Cut about two dozen hearts all of same size, or 
graduated in size. String these upon the red ribbon 
and suspend over the table. 

WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY 

Luncheon Card (i. Picture hatchet, cardboard, scis- 
sors, paints; 2. Same — also white or reddish 
brown paper) 



Xi4 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

1. Find a picture of a hatchet and use it as a 
model from which to cut one about two inches long. 
Paint this in colors resembling the real hatchet, and 
upon the reverse side write the name of the guest. 

2. From a piece of white or reddish-brown paper 
cut a one-inch square. Paint so as to resemble cherry 
wood. Roll so that one edge overlaps the other a 
trifle, simulating the trunk of a tree. As they overlap 
cut a tiny slit through the two. Cut out a tiny card- 
board hatchet, paint as above, and insert in this slit 
so that it holds the two edges together. Before fast- 
ening in this way, an appropriate quotation may be 
written inside, and the name of the guest on the out- 
side. It should stand up if rightly made. 

Decorative Cherries {ParafEne, spool of wire, not too 

■fine, green cloth or paper, carmine oil paint, brush, 

paste) 

Purchase at the grocer's cakes of paraffine such 
as is used for preserving purposes. Heat a cake in a 
dish so that it is soft enough to model into balls the 
size of a cherry. While still pliable make a slight 
depression in its surface. Having previously rolled 
the wire in the green tissue paper, and cut into inch 
strips for stems, insert this into the cherry at the 
depressed part of its surface. Cut out cherry leaves 
of paper, or better dark green cloth, place a little paste 
on these leaves at the back and arrange a stem on 
each one. When the stem of the cherry is firmly fast- 
ened in the fruit, paint the surface with carmine 
oil paint. This gives a polished appearance to the 
surface like the natural cherry. 

The stems of the green leaves may be trimmed 
about the stems of the cherries in twos or threes or 
more, according to the number of cherries used. 



Festival Occasions 115 

Paper Chains (Colored paper in sheets or cut into 
strips, paste, small brushes or sticks) 
The making of paper chains, in contrasting or 
uniform colors, is a delightful pastime for children of 
all ages. Very little children may easily learn to 
make one loop at a time, and, with assistance, are soon 
able to fasten several loops together. 

Kindergarten Supply Stores furnish strips of 
colored paper already cut, and put up in packages. 
These strips measure 36 inches in length. It is very 
easy, however, to cut strips from large sheets of paper, 
and it is an excellent lesson in accurate cutting for 
children over ten years of age. 

These paper strips may measure one or two inches 
in width and the entire length of the sheet. Cut the 
long strips into short strips measuring four inches in 
length. Holding the four inch strip in the left hand, 
put a very little paste on the under surface of one 
end of the strip. Overlap the pasted end of the strip 
to its unpasted end, and hold firmly until fastened. 
You now have one paper loop. Through this loop 
is placed another four inch strip — the paste is added 
in the same manner. Now you have two loops. Con- 
tinue doing this until you have the chain the required 
length. These chains are very effective when used 
in decorating. 

For Washington's Birthday, red, white and blue 
paper would be used for the chains. 

Bonbonnieres (White tissue paper, red and blue ani- 
line dyes) 

Very attractive bonbonnieres may be made by 
cutting oblong shaped sheets of white tissue paper, 
measuring 6 inches in length and 5 inches in width. 



ii6 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

Fringe the shorter edges of the paper, making fringe 
I inch deep. 

Dissolve any good red and blue dyes in boiUng 
water, and place in separate dishes. Dip one fringed 
end of tissue paper into the red dye for one second, 
and dip the other fringed end into the blue dye. 
Shake these ends gently in order to let the water 
drip from them. When they are dry, place a large 
sized candy in the centre of the paper, and gathering 
up the fringed ends, twist them close to the candy, 
thus forming a feathery effect in two colors. These 
are very pretty when arranged on the table either in 
quantity or singly. 

Tents (White shelf paper, paste, match stick, red, 

white and blue paper) 

Groups of white tents, made of white shelf paper, 
capped at the top with tiny American flags, may be 
placed at short distances from the centre piece of a 
luncheon or supper table with good effect. 

The large sheets of shelf paper may be bought 
at any grocer's. Cut them into four-inch squares. 
Place the paper before you on a flat surface, an edge 
nearest you. Fold the front edge to the back edge of 
square ; crease the paper at the fold, open the paper and 
fold the right edge to left edge of square; crease the 
fold again. Open the paper and turn the square so that 
a corner points towards you. Fold this front corner 
to the back corner, so that the two points exactly 
meet. 

Crease on the fold, open the paper, and fold the 
left corner to the right corner of the square. Crease 
on the fold. Open the paper ; before you you have 
a square of paper, with eight folds across its surface, 
a fold running front edge to back edge, from right 



Festival Occasions 117 

edge to left edge, from right corner to left cor- 
ner, from left corner to right corner. Turn the square 
of paper over so that all the folds on the surface of 
the paper are on the upper side of the square. Place 
the square with a corner toward you. 

You will now see eight folds running from the 
four edges and four corners to the centre of the 
square. Crease with thumb and forefinger of right hand 
the fold running from lower right edge to centre of 
square. Place this right hand fold of square forward 
so that it lies along the fold which extends from the 
corner directly in front of you to the centre of the 
square. Follow the same directions in folding the 
crease that runs from the lower left edge to centre of 
square. These two folds touch now on the fold that 
runs from front corner to centre of square. You 
will see a small triangle extending below the two folds 
which thus meet in front of you. Fold this small 
triangle back toward the centre, and underneath the 
two folds that meet in front of you. One half of your 
tent is folded. The same directions must be followed 
in folding the other side of the square. 

The two small triangles must be carefully folded 
so that the tent will stand evenly when finished. You 
will see when the front and back part of the tent is 
finished that you have the right and left corners to 
dispose of. Fold these corners underneath the tent, 
so that when it is placed in an upright position it will 
stand firmly. To make the tent stand well, crease the 
edges that run from the four corners to top of tent, 
thus making an exact pyramid. The use of a little 
paste in securing the folds is of great assistance. 

To represent the tent pole, a wooden match, 
gilded, may be used. To this attach a tiny American 
flag made of pliable red, white and blue paper. 



ii8 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

Paper Lanterns (Scissors^ red, zvhite and blue paper, 

liquid gold paint, box of small candles, circular^ 

box covers, baby ribbon — red, white and blue) 

Lanterns made of red, white and blue paper, 

each of one color only, ornamented with gold paint 

and tied with the red, white and blue baby ribbon, 

are extremely pretty for supper decorations. When 

suspended from the chandelier above the centre of a 

supper table, a lighted candle in each little lantern, 

the effect is charming. 

In view of entertainments where decorations are 
called for, it would be well to lay aside all small cir- 
cular box covers that find their way into the house- 
hold. The small box covers that measure 21/2 inches 
in diameter may be taken as a standard size. These 
box covers form the bottom of the lanterns. 

Cut from the colored paper an oblong piece meas- 
uring 8 inches in length and 5 inches in width. Lay 
the oblong piece of paper before you with its long 
edges running right and left. Draw a pencil line the 
length of the paper % of an inch from the upper edge ; 
% of an inch from its lower edge draw another line; 
which will be parallel to the first. 

From the upper pencil line to the lower pencil 
line draw 15 lines ^ inch apart. These upright lines 
will form 14 narrow oblongs. Use very sharp pointed 
scissors, and cut away each alternate oblong. Paste 
the two short edges of the oblong paper together, 
one end overlapping the other. The body of the lan- 
tern is now finished. 

Let a little wax drip from a candle on the inside 
of the circular box cover at its centre. When a 
little bed of soft wax is formed, place an unlighted 
candle on it in an upright position. Place a thick 
coating of Spaulding's glue on the inner surface of 



Festival Occasions 119 

circular rim of the box cover, and carefully fit the 
body of the lantern into it. 

When the paper lantern is securely fastened, gild 
heavily the outside rim of the box cover and the upper 
and lower circular bands which form top and bottom 
borders of the lanterns. In the top circular band 
punch four holes equal distances apart, through which 
the ribbons are run. 

ST. PATRICK'S DAY— MARCH 17TH 

Place Cards (White cards, zvater-color or oil paints, 

brush) 

Paint a picture of shamrock upon the card. It 
may be copied from some picture, if not from the 
real plant. If not possible to find a picture, our wild- 
wood-sorrel {Oxalis aceto sella) is supposed to be 
the same as the shamrock and may be used for model. 
Some authorities believe the white clover to be the 
original shamrock. 

Flags {Irish Hag, green paint, gold paint, brush, scis- 
sors, slender sticks) 
If one Irish flag is bought the children may copy 

it, painting a number, one for each guest, or for 

decorating table. Glue flags to sticks. 

Ribbon Flags (Green satin ribbon, one inch wide, 

wooden toothpick) 

Cut the ribbon into oblongs to make wee flags. 
Glue to tiny flagsticks and put at places at dinner 
table. 

Shamrock Plants 

The real shamrock is now brought over and may 



I20 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

be purchased in March. A little plant makes an ap- 
priate souvenir. Or several weeks before the day, 
children may plant shamrock seed in tiny pots for 
use on the 17th. 

Potato Race 

A potato race is an appropriate game for St. Pat- 
rick's Day. (See page 94.) Give cork doll for prize 
to winner of race (page 81), as souvenir from Cork. 

St. Patrick's Dinner 

Have as many green vegetables and side dishes 
as possible. Spinach will color the soup. Green veg- 
etables and salads are easy to obtain and ice cream 
may be colored with pistache. Irish flags may be sus- 
pended over the table. 

Dinner Souvenir (Blotting paper, souvenir postcards, 

green ribbon ^ inch wide) 

Give each guest a blotter made thus : Buy- sou- 
venir postcards with pictures of Killarney and other 
Irish views. Cut the blotting paper into sheets of 
same size as cards. Place together. Punch hole at 
one end and tie together with ribbon. 



EASTER 

Egg Shell Garden (See page 25) 

Sponge Garden (Small, clean sponge, birdseed) 

A few days before Easter, sprinkle the sponge 
with birdseed. Keep damp and the seeds will sprout 
and cover the sponge with growing blades of green. 



Festival Occasions 121 

Easter Eggs (i. Diamond dyes, a dozen eggs. 2. 
Small figured calico, lye, boiling water) 

1. Boil the eggs hard and dye with the colors 
according to directions on package, which may be 
had at drugstore, price five cents. 

2. Wind strips of the bright calico around the 
eggs and boil in water strongly saturated with lye. 
The lye extracts the color, which will be found printed 
upon the eggs. 

Place Cards for Easter Breakfast (j. White paper, 
scissors, paints. 2. Plain white cards, paints) 

1. If possible secure a real Easter lily for a model. 
If this cannot be obtained, a picture of one will an- 
swer. From the paper cut, freehand, if possible, the 
shape of the lily and paint it ' htly; just a little shad- 
ing and the golden center. I'lace the guest's name 
upon the reverse side. It may be necessary to draw 
the lily first before cutting, but the freehand cutting 
is a good exercise. 

2. Decorate a white card with the picture of a 
lily, or a tulip, using water-color paints. Below the 
flower write an appropriate flower motto. 

Celluloid Place Cards (White celluloid, scissors, pen- 
cil) 

Get from a dictionary or natural history a good 
picture of a butterfly with open wings. Draw a pat- 
tern from this and then outline a number of these on 
the celluloid and cut out. These dainty, spirit-like but- 
terflies will make suitable place-cards, having the name 
of guest on the reverse side. 

Cut Easter lily of celluloid in same way. 



122 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

Easter Chicken (Yellow worsted, black beads, quill 
toothpick, cardboard, wooden toothpicks, or pic- 
ture-wire.) 

Make a yellow ball as described on pages 96-7 for 
the body of the chicken. A smaller ball makes the 
head. Sew on the beads for the bright black eyes; 
cut the quill into shape of a bill and sew into place. 
Let wooden toothpicks form the legs; or, better still, 
take picture-wire made of several strands. Wind some 
of this around the body, letting the ends of the wire 
extend about i^ inches below the body; sew to the 
body to keep in place. Then pick out the ends of 
the wire a little to suggest toes and wind the legs 
with worsted. Sew chicken to a card. • 

Easter Card (Parquetry circles used in kindergarten, 
paste, gray card, scissors) 

The little child may make an Easter card by 
pasting upon a neutral-tinted card pictures of tulips 
made of the kindergarten parquetry papers. Cut in 
half either red or yellow circles. Place so that the 
lower ends touch and the upper ones are a little 
apart, suggesting a tulip. A strip of green paper will 
represent the stem and an older child can cut leaves 
of the green paper and paste on. Have a real tulip 
from which to copy. Child may give this to Father 
on Easter morning. 

Toy Screen (See page 63) 

Make dainty screen as described, and paste on 
each panel a tiny Easter picture (Perry pictures may 
be had by addressing firm in N. Y. City). Give to 
Mother on Easter morning. 

Church Window Transparency (See page 77) 



Festival Occasions 123 



MEMORIAL DAY 

We give no special suggestions for the celebration 
of Memorial or Decoration Day. The ideas given 
under the headings of the other patriotic holidays, as 
Washington's Birthday and Fourth of July, may be 
used also for this holiday, but it is not a day for mere 
play. 

If the parents plan to go to the cemetery let the 
child accompany them and carry flowers, preferably 
those of his own raising or plucking. 

Reading 

It would be well also on this day to read some 
great piece of patriotic literature, either prose or 
poetry, which will help the older children to realize 
the great debt which we owe to the preservers of our 
country, to whom we dedicate this day. Lincoln's 
Gettysburg address should be read. Also Lowell's 
"The Present Crisis.'' "Bugle Echoes," compiled by 
Francis F. Browne, contains 150 poems of the Civil 
War, both Northern and Southern. 

Badge (Sheets of red, white, and blue paper, scissors, 

paste) 

A simple badge may be made for the children to 
wear in this fashion: 

1. Cut a circle 34 inches in diameter out of the 
red paper. Cut also from' the red, white and blue 
sheets strips of 2 x 5 inches. Paste the three strips 
together at the upper end like ribbons, letting them 
spread a little apart at the lower end. Paste the circle 
at the upper end to finish off. 

2. Another style may be made by placing the 



124 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

three colors so that one Ues directly above the other. 
In this case the blue is 5 inches long, the white four 
inches, and the red three inches. Fasten to dress or 
coat with a safety pin. 



INDEPENDENCE DAY 

Firecrackers {Red paper, hemp string, paste) 

Get lar^e sheets of red paper to be found at 
department stores or wholesale paper houses, measur- 
ing about 35 inches in length and 26 inches in width. 
From each one cut thirteen 2-inch strips, cutting the 
length of the sheet. Fold each strip once across the 
width of the strip, and cut through the center at the 
foM. This gives twxnty-six 2-inch strips of paper, 
the width of the small sized firecrackers. 

Flold a strip of paper between the thumb and 
forefinger of the left hand. Moisten the thumb of 
the right hand a very little, and roll the end of the 
strip towards the left, as one does in rolling a paper 
taper. Keep the strip rolled tightly until the other 
end of the strip is reached. If the cracker seems too 
loosely rolled unroll it a short distance, and gently 
pull the strip into form again. 

Place a little paste on the under side of the loose 
end of the strip, and press the pasted end firmly on 
the rolled surface of the cracker. Hold this until it 
adheres to the surface of the cracker. Cut the hemp 
string into three-inch pieces. Dip one end of the 
string into the paste, then insert this pasted end into 
one end of the cracker at the little opening which is 
found at the very center. Hold this firmly for a mo- 
ment, or until the string is securely fastened. 

Tie six or eight firecrackers into bunches with 



Festival Occasions 125 

red, white and blue ribbons, and lay them over the 
white surface of the luncheon or supper table. 

Firecracker Card (See page 55) 

Drums (Small zvooden boxes, liqttid gold paint, 
Spauiding's glue, red, white and blue baby rib- 
bon, small sticks for drum sticks) 
The market basket will, from time to time, fur- 
nish the housekeeper with small circular boxes labeled : 
Electro-Silicon Silver Polish. These wooden boxes, 
measuring 8 inches in circumference and 12 inches 
in height, make, when prettily ornamented, very at- 
tractive drums. 

Remove the cover of box, and place on its inner 
rim a coating of Spaulding's glue. Place the cover 
on the box again, and put aside until it is fastened. 
Place the box on a sheet of stiff white paper, and 
holding it firmly, draw a pencil line around its edge. 
Now remove the box, and you will see that you have 
outlined a circle. Using this circle as a model, draw 
a second circle. Cut out these circles, following the 
pencil very accurately. These tv/o circles form the 
two heads of the drum, and are to be pasted on the 
top and the bottom of the box. Gild the circular sur- 
face of the box. Cut strips of red or blue paper, 
measuring S}^ inches in length and ii^ inches in 
width. Brush the under surface of these strips with 
paste, and place one strip at the top and one at the 
bottom of the drum, % of an inch above the rim of 
the drum. These strips answer to the wooden bands 
which hold the drum heads in place. Red, white and 
blue baby ribbon may be carried from the upper to the 
lower edges of the drum if desired to represent the 
cords which hold the drum securely. 



126 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

Little wooden sticks, gilded and tied at the side 
of the drum form the drumsticks. 

The smaller Electro-Silicon boxes, measuring 2^ 
inches in circumference and i^i inches in height, may 
be used in the same way. 

Rosettes (Red, white and blue tissue paper, a strong 

needle, white sewing silk, white library paste or 

well-made Hour paste) 

Lay nine sheets of tissue paper one upon another, 
alternating the colors, red, white and blue. Fold 
these sheets together very smoothly once, thus mak- 
ing 18 smaller sheets if they were cut apart, but do 
not cut. Lay a silver dollar or fifty-cent piece (de- 
pending upon the size required) at the upper left- 
hand corner of paper. Draw a pencil line around the 
rim of the silver piece. Move the piece of money to 
the right and draw another circle. Continue this 
drawing circles until you have covered the surface of 
the paper. 

Thread a needle with the sewing silk, knot the 
end of the thread and take several firm stitches 
through the center of each circle in order to hold the 
sheets of paper together. With sharp scissors cut 
out each paper circle, and fringe by cutting, but not 
too finely, from the edge to within ^ of an inch of 
the center of the circle. Hold the knot on the under 
side of the circle between the thumb and forefinger 
of the left hand. Slightly moisten the forefinger of 
the right hand and brush gently over the fringed 
surface toward the center of the rosette. At the back 
of each rosette put a bit of paste, then lay rosettes 
on strips of paper one inch in width. Do not overlap 
the rosettes, but arrange to allow the edges to touch. 

These strips of rosettes may be used as festoons. 



Festival Occasions 127 

As decorations for cakes or dishes of fruit they can 
be used most effectively. 

Shields for Luncheon Cards {Cardboard, red and 
blue paper, baby ribbon — red, white and blue, 
gold paint, water-color paints — red and blue) 
Attractive luncheon or supper cards, suitable for 
patriotic occasions, may be made in the form of 
shields. Turn to the fourth page of Webster's Un- 
abridged Dictionary, and find the shield used as the 
American Coat-of-Arms. This shield, enlarged to a 
size measuring 2^ inches in length and 2^/^ inches 
in width across the upper part, forms an excellent 
model. If one does not draw habitually, use tracing 
paper when tracing the pattern. If one uses water- 
color paints successfully, paint the deep blue band 
across the upper part of the shield, and the twelve 
red stripes running from the band to the lower edge 
of the shield. For those who do not paint, dark red 
and blue paper may be substituted very successfully. 
A touch of gold paint on the edge of the shield adds 
greatly to the effect. 

Write each guest's name on a card measuring 2^ 
inches in length and i^ inches in width. Attach a 
card by means of red, white and blue ribbon to upper 
corner- of each shield. 

Rockets {Red, white and blue paper, paste, gold paint, 

slender zvooden sticks) 

Rockets are made in the same manner as fire- 
crackers, excepting that the paper strips are cut wider, 
viz. : 3 or 4 inches in width, and more strips are re- 
quired to give the proper size. This may be left to 
the maker's discretion. 

When the rockets are rolled and pasted after the 



128 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

manner of the firecrackers, insert the sharp point of 
a pencil into the center of one end of each roll, and 
gently push out this center to the distance of two 
inches. This will give the pointed end of the rocket. 
These pointed ends may be gilded, as well as the slen- 
der sticks which are inserted at the other ends. 



LABOR DAY 

The words "parade" and "procession" are as- 
sociated in the minds of most American children with 
long lines of soldiers, and the small boy will play for 
hours putting his tin soldiers in rank and file, or 
marching with his comrades, with pans for drums. 

In these later days, when the spirit of the Peace 
Congress is in the air, it is well that the children 
should become interested in struggles and battles of 
a different and higher order and in the parades in 
which long lines of honorable workers take part. 

In this country all self-respecting people are 
workers in one way or another, and though in the 
course of progress of cooperative movements and com- 
binations, among many kinds of workers, there may 
have been much of injustice, such movements have 
also been accompanied by self-sacrifice, courage and 
generosity of a high order. In time the good will 
far out-weigh the evil. As Labor Day approaches, the 
children, especially if the father expects to take part, 
will be readily interested in the day and what it 
should mean — the solving of the great problem of 
the twentieth century. Meanwhile let the children 
feel the beauty of Walt Whitman's lines : 



Festival Occasions 129 

"Ah little recks the laborer 
How near his work is holding him to God, 
The loving Laborer through space and time." 

The Labor Day parade is a revival, or survival 
in modern guise, of the mediaeval processions of the 
Guilds. Such a procession is charmingly represented 
in Wagner's delightful opera, "Die Meistersinger," 
wherein, on a festival day, we see the bakers enter, 
bearing the insignia of their trade, enormous pretzels 
and other cakes. The cobblers march in with gigantic 
boots and slippers suspended from tall poles; the 
butchers carry hams and festoons of sausages, etc. 
The child may imitate such a parade in his play. 

In talking with the child, emphasize the obliga- 
tion to do good, true work and to take pride in such. 
Let fidelity and trustworthiness be his watchwords. 

Parade {Poles or broom handles, wrapping paper or 

newspaper, scissors, tacks, rakes, spades, etc.. 

Hags and banners) 

Let the children cut from the paper large out- 
lines of shoes, boots, hams, saws, try-squares, clocks, 
watches, enormous pens, knives, forks, etc., and fasten 
with pins or tacks to the poles. Then march to the 
tune of some stirring air. 

Some may be able to secure small garden rakes, 
spades and toy brooms to carry. The American flag 
and banners should also be carried. 

Toy-Processions {Trade catalogues, toothpicks, pa- 
per dolls, etc.) 

Cut out paper dolls and let each one carry a tiny 
toothpick upon which has been pasted a picture cut 
from some catalogue. These catalogues will furnish 



130 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

pictures of shoes, carriages, saws, hammers, watches, 
furniture, etc. Be sure that Httle American flags are 
also carried. Dolls may be glued to spools for stand- 
ards. 



Place Cards for Dinner 

I. {Bristol board, scissors, paints, brush) 

Make place cards of Bristol board, which may 
be cut into shape of shoes, watches, etc., and painted 
accordingly. The name of guest may be placed on 
reverse side. Or, on plain white card, paint a picture 
emblematic of a trade and write upon it also some 
quotation from a writer of democratic spirit. 

2. (Tiny cast-iron rakes, spades and hatchets — 
I cent each.) 

As a souvenir, give each guest a tiny cast-iron 
spade, rake and hatchet tied together with cord. Or, 
for a joke, these may be placed by each plate instead of 
knife, fork and spoon. 

3. (Pen and ink or pencil, white card.) 

Draw on a plain, white card a picture of an ant, 
bee or beaver as emblematic of labor. Use for place 
cards. 

4. (Frances S. Osgood's poem, ''Labor," zvhitc 
cards, pen and ink.) 

On each card write one stanza of this beautiful 
poem, and after the close of the meal let each guest 
in turn read the lines on his card. It would be well 
for every child to commit this poem to memory. It 
is long, but sings itself easily into the mind. The 
word-pictures it calls up are exquisite and the learn- 
ing of it, little by little, would not be an unhappy task. 



Festival Occasions 131 



HALLOWE'EN 

This is the festival which is given over to all 
kinds of merry pranks and is dearly loved by the chil- 
dren. It is an opportunity to teach them to discrimi- 
nate between the fun which is kindly and that which 
is malicious and productive of needless pain. 

Ducking for Apples and Nuts (Large pans or tubs, 

apples, nuts, pennies) 

Let the children, young and old, for once get 
themselves wet, if necessary, in ducking for the nuts 
and apples floating in the water. With a little suc- 
tion some of the children will be able to get pennies 
from the bottom of the tub. 

Fortune-Telling 

1. With Needles. (Needles, pan of water) 
Name a needle for yourself and one for a friend, 

and put in the water, but not together. If they move 
safely across, it betokens good luck. Two needles 
meeting indicate life partnership. 

2. With Toy Ships. (Pan of zvater, nut ships as 
described on page 22) 

Name one Httle vessel for yourself and one for a 
friend and set them afloat. If they come to port on 
the other side all is well. 

3. With Apple Rinds. (Apple, knife) 

Pare an apple so that the skin comes off in one 
long piece. Toss over the head upon the floor, and 
the form it takes will give the initial letters of the name 
of one's future mate. 



12,2 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

4. With Cake. (Cake, thimble, ring, penny, etc.) 

Bake a cake, hiding in the dough a thimble, a 
ring and a penny. When cut, the recipient of the ring 
is fore-doomed to marriage; the one getting the thim- 
ble will be a spinster ; the one receiving the penny will 
have the pleasures and responsibilities of wealth. 

Apple-Biting Contest (Apple suspended from a 
string) 

1. The apple is set swinging and two people, 
standing opposite each other, try as it passes to seize 
and hold it in the mouth. They must not touch it with 
the hands. 

2. Tie an apple by its stem to the middle of a 
string about a yard long. Then two people, each tak- 
ing one end of the string in the mouth, begin, at a 
signal, to gather it as fast as possible into the mouth, 
and so to reach the apple. This belongs to the one 
reaching it first. 

Refreshments 

Apples, nuts, popcorn, cider, gingerbread and 
doughnuts are suitable for lighter refreshments. 
Baked beans and plain ice-cold rice pudding were 
once eaten with decided relish at a New York City 
Hallowe'en party, the city people evidently enjoying 
the contrast between this feast and the usual caterer's 
service. Serve fruit from a kettle suspended from 
three cross-sticks, a la witch. 

Decorations 

Jack-o'-lanterns of pumpkins; strings of apples, 
popcorn and cranberries, and toy brooms hung here 
and there, as reminders of the witches who are said 



Festival Occasions 133 

to be abroad, will add to the occasion. The pumpkins 
should be cut to resemble skulls. 

Reading 

Have some one read "Tam O'Shanter's Mare" 
(Burns) ; also some good ghost story. Thomas Ken- 
drick Bangs' "Ghosts Which I Have Met" contains 
some good stories, all absurd. Choose a good reader 
for this. 

Place Cards 

1. (White or tinted cards, Palmer Cox Brownies, 
ink, pen) 

The Brownies are delightfully funny little people 
without a suggestion of anything coarse or evil. The 
children love them. Let the older ones copy and cut 
them out to use as invitation cards for the Hallowe'en 
party or for place cards. 

2. (See "Pricking," page 165.) 

Since witches are always associated with the 
pricking of pins, this is an appropriate occasion for 
using the kindergarten pricking. Outline some of the 
Brownies on tinted cards and prick as directed on 
page 165. 

3. (See Pumpkin Jack-o'-lantern cards, page 
135.) 



THANKSGIVING 

Place Cards (White paper or cardboard, brush and 

paints or pen and ink) 

I. Cut out a turkey, copying from some picture 
if necessary. (Picture may be found in dictionary.) 



134 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

If skilful with brush or pen, indicate the feathers, 
eye, etc. 

2. Draw picture of a pumpkin. Cut it out. Paint 
in deep orange tones with shadings of brown. Cut into 
it eyes, nose and mouth, suggesting Jack-o'-lantern. 

3. On white cards write stanzas from Whittier's 
poem, "The Pumpkin Pie," and let each guest read 
his stanza in turn. 

4. Cut as many triangles as there are guests and 
paint each to resemble a slice of pie. One side of 
triangle should be curved. 

5. Find a simple figure of a Puritan maiden and 
draw in outline; then cut out and paint or draw in 
black ink the important lines. Use as place card. 

6. Make little walnut boats (see page 22), and 
on each sail write name of guest. 

7. Find picture of Mayflower and copy on white 
card. On reverse side write a stanza of 'The Break- 
ing Waves Dashed High." Let each guest read his 
lines. (Or parts of "Hiawatha" about Mondamin 
may be used.) 

Table Souvenirs (Tiny cast-iron gardening tools, i 

cent each) 

As described under Labor Day, these tiny penny 
tools may be put at each place, the hatchet represent- 
ing the knife, the rake the fork, and the spade the 
spoon. Attach name of guest to set. 

Butter Modeling {Clay modeling tools, firm butter) 

If any child has acquired a little skill in clay 

modeling, let him try his hand at modeling out of 

firm butter some form expressing a Thanksgiving 



Festival Occasions 135 

thought. It may be a piece of fruit, or some animal. 
Get clay modeling tools at art store. 

Center Piece (Pumpkin, knife, fruits and vegetables) 
Hollow out a pumpkin in such a way that a part 
of the rind is left as a handle to the remaining part, 
which serves as a basket. Into this basket put a 
variety of fruits and vegetables, emblematic of the 
bounties for which we are grateful. 

Jack-o'-lantern (Pumpkin, knife, candle) 

We doubt if any boy needs to be told how to cut 
a face in a pumpkin. A sharp knife will soon make 
the cuts for eyes, nose and mouth in the rind, the 
seedy contents having been previously removed. A 
hollow may be cut in the bottom of the interior to hold 
the candle, which can be made still steadier by melting 
a little from the bottom and letting it drip into this 
hollow, forming a waxy bed into which the candle 
may be inserted. 

Candlesticks 

See pages 24 and 64 for those made of apples 
and of cardboard and colored papers. 

Room Decorations 

1. Corn Stalks. (Strong cord and needle, ham- 
vicr and tacks.) 

Stack cornstalks in the corners of the rooms in 
effective positions, two or three to a corner. Those 
living in cities may find it well to secure these from 
farmer friends some time before the holiday. 

2. Unhusked Ears of Field Corn. (Strong cord.) 
The corn husks must be turned back from the 

ears and cut off from them without loosening the sepa- 



136 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

rate leaves. Then a number of these husks may be 
strung upon a strong thread or string alternating 
with the ears of corn. Hang along the upper part of 
the wall as a frieze. The rich, warm tones of the 
brown and yellow are very effective. 

3. Cranberries and Brussels Sprouts. (String, 
needle.) 

Run upon a string half a dozen cranberries, then 
a Brussels sprout; then more cranberries, etc., and 
suspend this -as a festoon along mantelshelf, in chan- 
delier, or over window. 

4. Autumn Leaves. (See page 47.) 

5. Autumn Boughs. (Oak boughs.) 

Oak boughs, with the rich red and russet leaves 
still upon them, are very handsome in the autumn. 
The beautiful branches may be gathered by the young 
people and hung in parts of the room where most 
effective. 



CHRISTMAS 
Place Cards 

1. (Sheet black paper, Chinese white water-color 
paint, brush.) Cut a stocking from the black paper 
(obtainable at kindergarten supply store). With 
the paint, paint in white toes and heels. On the re- 
verse side write some appropriate quotation and name 
of guest. Stockings may be about four inches long. 

2. (White paper, black ink or crayon.) Cut a 
rough figure of a snowman out of white paper, put in 
features with black ink or crayon, and write name on 
reverse side. 

3. (Water paper, water-colors, scissors, spray of 
holly.) From real holly or a picture of same, paint a 



Festival Occasions 137 

spray of green leaves and red berries. Cut out around 
the edges and use as name card. 

4. (Red cardboard, scissors, pen, ink.) Draw an 
outline of a bell on cardboard and cut out. An appro- 
priate sentiment may be written upon one side and 
name of guest upon the other. 

Surprise Nuts (See page 23) 

Snowflakes for Tree (See page 59) 

Snowball (White cotton hatting, snozvUake crystals 
from toy store, white cotton cloth, sewing thread, 
mucilage) 

Cut two circles of cotton cloth, stuff with the bat- 
ting, after sewing into shape of ball. Cover lightly 
with snowflake crystals, first dipping ball lightly into 
thin mucilage. Suspend from tree. 

Candles (ParaMne or old candles, kettle, soft cotton 

string, small box of sand, pencil) 

Candles have sometimes been made in the kinder- 
garten in either of the following ways : 

I. Heat a pound of paraffine (bought at grocer's), 
or melt up some old candle ends in a kettle. Place in 
front of the child a cigar box containing about a 
quart of moist sand, smoothed level. Then with his 
pencil let him press into the sand, making a deep, hol- 
low mold just the width of the pencil. Now let him 
hold a short piece of string so that it hangs down into 
this mold. An older person will then pour some of 
the melted wax into the mold. It will cling to the 
string, and in a moment or two will cool enough to be 
drawn out, making a little candle that can be used for 



138 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

the Christmas tree, or put into a clay candlestick, also 
made by the child. (See below.) 

2. Put the kettle containing the melted wax before 
the child and let him dip into it a piece of string about 
four inches long. Then let him take it out in a mo- 
ment and lay it aside to cool. A very little wax will 
cling to it. Meanwhile he dips in another string and 
puts aside to cool. When cool he takes up the first 
one and dips it in a second time, and a new coat of 
wax adheres.. He proceeds thus until the candles are 
as large in diameter as desired (about Yi inch at base). 
The candles may be put into clay candlesticks, also 
made by the child. 

Candlesticks {Clay, a tin or china candlestick to use 

as model) 

Let the child take a candlestick and copy in clay ; 
it should be of simple form, a mere cylinder, with 
just enough of a base to make a firm standard. 

Candlesticks {Cardboard, scissors) 

Cut small squares of cardboard. The candles may 
be made to stand temporarily upon these by melting 
the lower ends of the candles and letting some of the 
wax drip upon center of the cards, and then pressing 
the candle down upon the melted wax. These may 
be placed upon the table on Christmas morning. 

Christmas Carols 

Let the children learn some simple old carol, as 
a secret, and Christmas morning have them sing it 
softly and sweetly to awaken father. A full pro- 
gram of songs suitable for this most beautiful of days 
will be found in the little book, 'The Children's Mes- 
siah," compiled by Mari Ruef Hofer, price 20 cents. 



Festival Occasions 139 

It gives also the address of a firm publishing stereop- 
ticon views for illustrating the program suggested. 

Spider-Web Party (See page 104) 

x^rrange the twines of several colors as described 
on page 104, and at the end place the gifts belonging 
to each child. 

Popcorn {Popcorn, popper, thread, needle) 

Pop the corn and string into festoons with which 
to decorate the tree. 

Christmas Bells {Red cardboard, scissors, thread, 

needle) 

Make bells as described on page 109, only make 
them of various sizes. String, and use to decorate 
table or tree, or to festoon from the center of the 
ceiling to the corners and sides of the room. 

Kindergarten Lanterns {Red, gold, or silver paper, 

scissors, thread, paste) 

Take a kindergarten square of pretty paper or 
make a square of some attractive wrapping paper. 
Fold once into an oblong. Now cut a series of parallel 
lines from the fold toward the edge, stopping each 
about j4 inch from edge. Open and paste one end so 
that it overlaps the other, the cuts running vertically. 
This makes the lantern bulge out a little at the fold, 
giving a Japanese lantern effect. Suspend by a thread 
tied to the upper edge or paste a narrow strip of paper 
on for a handle. Use as decoration for Christmas tree. 

Paper Chains (See pages 56 and 115) 



i4oHome Occupations for Boys and Girls 

Reading 

Read a part or the whole of Dickens' "Christmas 
Carol," 'The Chimes/' or "The Cricket on the 
Hearth ;" or "Is There a Santa Claus," by Jacob Riis ; 
or "The Birds' Christmas Carol," by Kate Douglas 
Wiggin. Longfellow's "Arsenal at Springfield" and 
"A Christmas Hymn," by A. Domett, are also appro- 
priate. 



CHAPTER IX 

THE KEY BASKET 
or 

Household Duties and Responsibilities 

Train the children Httle by Httle to bear certain 
Hght responsibiHties in the home. Even in a home 
in which all the household tasks are done by trained 
servants let the girl and boy have some small duty 
to perform, if it be nothing more than to keep the 
match-safes filled. They will thus acquire an interest 
in the home which can be aroused in no other way. 

Indeed, every child, boy and girl, should be trained 
to do easily and well the common household tasks 
upon which depend so much of the happiness and well- 
being of the home. Such knowledge and skill often 
prove of use in unexpected emergencies and make for 
general efficiency. The ancient symbol of the house- 
wife's office is her bunch of keys, hung at her waist 
or placed in the key-basket, so we have used this latter 
phrase as our chapter heading. 



HOME TASKS 

Here are a few brief directions for the usual 
home tasks in which both boys and girls may to some 
extent be trained. 

141 



142 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

Table Setting (Usual dishes and cutlery) 

Different homes vary in unimportant particulars 
in the placing of the dishes. The following- is a com- 
mon arrangement for the dinner table : 

At each place lay the fork vertically at the left- 
hand side, the knife vertically at the right, and the 
soup-spoon to the right of the knife. This places each 
utensil so that it is ready for the hand which uses it 
most. Put the teaspoons to the right of the soup- 
spoon, and the napkin to the left of the fork. Place 
the glass just above the knife, the butterdish above the 
fork, and the individual salt-cellar, if used^ between 
the two. 

Father and mother sit at the ends of the table. 
Put carving-knife and fork at father's place; also the 
soup ladle, as father serves the soup and carves. 
Mother pours the coffee and tea and serves the vege- 
tables. Therefore the soup and dinner dishes must 
be placed before the carver, and the needed vegetable 
dishes and cups and saucers at the mother's place. 
Here, too, must be placed the sugar bowl and cream 
pitcher. 

In the United States it is customary to serve 
most vegetables upon individual saucers. In England 
they are usually served upon the plate. 

If salad is to be served, oil and vinegar cruets 
may be put on. 

The dessert is usually served by the mother, and 
the necessary dishes must, therefore, be placed at her 
end of the table. 

If possible, always have flowers or a growing 
plant in the center of the table, but do not have it so 
high that it obscures the view of those persons sitting 
on opposite sides of the table. 

Upon special occasions, particularly if the guests 



The Key Basket 143 

are many, it is convenient to indicate the place of 
each person by a "place card" bearing his name and 
decorated in some appropriate fashion. Suggestions 
for such place cards will be found on other pages of 
this volume. 

Table-Serving {Tray) 

Train both boys and girls to wait on the table 
quietly and quickly. Then they can save mother many 
weary steps. Remove soup-tureen first; then the indi- 
vidual dishes. After the meat-course, remove first 
the platter and vegetable dishes; then the plates, sau- 
cers, etc., from each individual place; then, if there 
is no salad course, the bread and butter dishes, cruets, 
etc., from center of table. Next the table must be 
crumbed. Do this by quietly removing crumbs from 
each place with crumb-knife and tray or by brushing 
with folded napkin. If salad is served, crumbing 
takes place after that course. 

Hold all dishes to left of guest, so that he may 
easily help himself with his right hand. 

Dish- Washing {Hot water in quantity, dishpan, zvire 

tray, drainer, zvashing-soda, soap, dish-mop, zvash- 

cloth, tozvels in plenty, both coarse and fine) 

If two people are to work together, let one collect 

the dishes and dispose of the left-over food, while 

the other washes the kettles and saucepans. Get these 

heavy cooking utensils out of the way the first thing; 

then the drudgery part is over before the workers are 

tired out. 

Dishes in which potatoes, cereals, or eggs have 
been cooked should be put to soak, not in hot, but in 
cold or tepid water; they are then readily cleaned. 
Fill with water as soon as emptied. 



144 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

Keep a little washing-soda on hand, dissolved 
in water in a canning- jar, for cleansing greasy dishes. 
Have hot water in abundance, and, putting a little 
soda in with it, scrub the kettles briskly with the wire- 
brush that comes for the purpose, or with mop, dish- 
cloth or chain dish-cloth. Wipe dry with a heavy 
towel. 

Meanwhile the other worker is collecting, scrap- 
ing and classifying the other dishes. Before beginning 
to wash, have all the dishes assorted according to 
kind and size and placed convenient to hand. When 
putting away remnants of food it is well to have for 
the purpose a series of pitchers ranging from three 
inches to about nine in height. This gives sizes suited 
to any quantity which may be left over of soups, milk, 
liquid vegetables, etc. They take less room than 
bowls, and the graduated series ornaments the shelf. 

A wire strainer should be kept in the sink to pre- 
vent the larger particles of waste, indissoluble parings, 
coffee grains, etc., from going down the drain. This 
saves plumber's bills. 

When ready for the washing, begin with the 
glasses and wash quickly in hot water, either clear or 
soapy, as preferred. Have at hand a second dish-pan 
in which is placed a wire rack. Put the glasses in the 
rack, rinse with hot water, and dry rapidly while still 
wet and hot. It may be necessary to keep them in the 
water a moment or two to get them really heated 
through. In washing glass pitchers put a silver spoon 
in them before placing in the hot water. This prevents 
breakage. Treat canning- jars in the same way. 

Next wash the silver, having the water soapy and 
piping hot, in order to get a good polish. Keep spoons, 
knives and forks in separate groups and all pointing 
in the same direction. 



The Key Basket 145 

The smaller, less greasy dishes follow the silver, 
and then the heavy china. Here, again, let dishes that 
have held eggs or starchy foods soak awhile in cold 
or tepid water. Rinse greasy dishes well. 

Conclude by scrubbing tables and sink with cloth, 
brush, soap and sapolio as needed. Put the scrapings 
in the garbage pail and pour hot water and soda down 
the pipe to remove the last vestige of grease. Hang 
up the shining dish-pans, after washing out the towels 
and dish-cloth in soap and water, if they require it. 

A can of Babbitt's Potash of Lye may take the 
place of the washing-soda. 

Bed-Making {Two sheets, blanket, comforter, cover) 

Put the lower sheet on with the right side up. 
Tuck it in neatly at the corners much as one would 
fold in the corners when wrapping up a box in paper. 
Place the upper sheet upon this with the right side 
down. This brings the two right sides together. Let 
the broad hem in each case be at the head of the bed. 
That of the upper sheet should just reach the head 
of the mattress. 

Place the blanket with its upper end about six 
inches from the head of the bed. Then comes the 
comforter, placed in the same way. Fold the sheet 
down from the top just where the blanket ends. Tuck 
all in neatly at the sides and the foot. Now put the 
spread smoothly over all. It may be tucked in or 
may hang down as desired. Place the pillows with the 
closed ends of the cases together. 

If an extra coverlet is to be placed at the foot 
of the bed, fold it in thirds so that the sleeper may 
reach down and draw it up over himself without rising 
to the floor. 



146 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

To put on a bolster-case easily, turn it wrono^ side 
out and then roll it up over the bolster. 

Train children to air beds every morning- by 
shaking up bed-clothing and extending it over foot- 
board and chair. 

Washing {Toy tub or tin basin, toy zvashboard, basin 

for boiler, soap, bit of blueing tied in bag, strong 

cord for line) 

Put dolls' clothes or a few dustcloths or handker- 
chiefs in tub of warm water after soaping well. Let 
soak awhile, then rub out on the little washboard or 
between the hands, put into the boiler with cold water 
and just bring to a boil. Rinse in warm water or 
wash vigorously in warm water if necessary; then 
rinse in warm and then in cold water ; put the blueing 
in a basin of cold water till the water is slightly 
tinged; remove the blueing bag and rinse the clothes 
in the water. (The blueing is to counteract the ten- 
dency of white goods to grow yellow with time.) 

Hang up to dry in the air and sunshine. 

Tell the children that the clothes must always be 
sorted, white body clothes being in one class, bed- 
linen in another, table linen in another; woolens must 
be washed by themselves with care to keep the water 
of moderate temperature and the rinsing water of the 
same degree of heat as the washing water. Flannels 
must be dried as rapidly as possible. Colored gar- 
ments must be washed by themselves. 

Ironing {Two irons, holders, ironing blanket and 

sheet, iron-stand, cake of beeszvax or candle) 

Before ironing the clothes must be sprinkled 

lightly with cold water, smoothed out and rolled up 

tig-htly for half an hour. Meanwhile pin the blanket 



The Key Basket 147 

to the ironing board and cover smoothly with the 
.sheet. The iron must not be so hot as to scorch 
the clothes. Try it on a piece of paper. If it seems 
dirty or rough, rub it on the beeswax to make it clean 
and smooth. (In place of wax a candle will serve 
the purpose if wrapped around with a piece of clean 
cotton cloth.) If the garment seems too wet, put a 
piece of white cloth over it and iron till somewhat 
dry. Then the iron may be placed directly upon the 
garment. 

Starch is prepared by wetting and dissolving it 
in cold water and then pouring upon this boiling water 
and boiling until clear and smooth. The young child 
will not need to starch anything, however. 

Sweeping (Broom, whisk-broom, hair-broom, sheet, 

sweeping-cap ) 

Let the little worker don sweeping-cap and apron, 
and then proceed to dust carefully small articles and 
books, place them on the bed and cover with an old' 
sheet. Put furniture which is movable in the hall 
after dusting. Open the window. Then sweep the 
rugs on both sides and place outside. Pin up the cur- 
tains. Then dampen a newspaper and tear into small 
pieces; throw these on the floor to absorb the dust. 
Wet tea-leaves may be used for the same purpose. 

Sweep, holding the broom rather closely to the 
floor and taking short strokes, raising- as little dust 
as possible. Then leave the room for awhile, for the 
dust to settle. 

Dusting (Dusters of cheesecloth, clean pieces of old 

silk, chamois-skin) 

On returning to the room after sweeping, wipe 
oflF the baseboard, then the furniture, always working 



148 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

from the top down. To reach high corners where 
cobwebs may lurk, pin on the brush of the broom a 
cap of cheesecloth and sweep along the edges of the 
ceiling. For corners under heavy furniture, a small 
whisk brush or soft hair brush may be needed. 

Rub off mirrors with a damp cloth, drying and 
polishing with chamois-skin or crumpled newspaper. 
Highly polished furniture may be dusted with soft 
silk or chamois-skin. 

Even small members of the family may be given 
a share in this work. Little boys and girls can be 
shown how to dust chairs and furniture within reach 
of the little arms and hands. It may take more time 
at first on the mother's part than If she did the work 
herself; but In the end she is more than repaid. The 
little child need not be required to do much, but let 
that little be done thoroughly, if only the legs and 
rounds of one chair. 



CHAPTER X 
THE CHILD^S LIBRARY 

Every child should be encouraged to possess his 
own books even in this age of public libraries. Birth- 
days and Christmas afford occasions when the parent 
can increase the little library, and later the child may 
be trained how to choose wisely his own purchases. 
When he is limited in the books he possesses public 
libraries open up opportunities for a wide range of 
reading. 

We give a brief but varied list of books from 
which the parent may select such as suit her child's 
particular needs. The discriminating taste in reading 
must be cultivated from the earliest years if the child 
is to read with profit and pleasure in youth and ma- 
turity. 

All children should be allowed to read a few at 
least of the traditional fairy tales. They teach many 
important life lessons in an impersonal way; they de- 
velop the imagination and widen the sympathies. The 
successful business man, the progressive physician or 
lawyer, and the truly successful minister is he who 
understands human nature, who can put himself in the 
other person's place ; and to do this he requires a culti- 
vated imagination. The fairy tale also lifts the child 
from the restricted life of his environment into the 
region of boundless possibilities. It increases his 
sense of power over untoward circumstances. Ac- 
quaintance with fairy lore also familiarizes one with 

149 



150 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

many allusions to be met with in reading all great 
writers. 

A love of poetry should be the heritage of every 
child, because of the inspiration it gives amidst the 
sordid cares of life, and because of the innocent pleas- 
ure and refreshment it affords in hours of loneliness 
and weariness. The child's first book of verse should, 
of course, be Mother Goose. After this there are many 
valuable compilations of good poetry that may be used. 

A varied library to be found in one large volume 
is 'The Children's Book" compiled by Scudder. It 
includes selections from Mother Goose, from Grimm's 
fairy tales, from old English fairy tales, the Arabian 
Nights, and Hans Andersen. There are also several 
of Maria Edgeworth's famous moral stories, a great 
many of ^sop's fables, many of the old English 
ballads, etc. An excellent compilation of verse is 
Roger Ingpen's "One Thousand Poems for Children," 
which contains all the old favorites of children as well 
as a large number of the best-known poems by stand- 
ard authors. 

Standard books on science and nature should be 
in the home, and the child's library should include a 
few books with stories from real life leading up to 
biography, history, and travel. 

The little one's sense of humor must be accorded 
recognition. Mother Goose supplies such a need in 
part, and Lear's Book of Nonsense may be added. 
The Sunday funny sheet should be censored before 
being put into the hands of the child. Expurgate any- 
thing that expresses disrespect to old age ; that makes 
light of honor and integrity ; or that is coarse in draw- 
ing, color, or subtle suggestion. If the child when 
grown is to appreciate the delicate humor of a Charles 
Lamb, his taste must not be dulled when he is young. 



The Child's Library 151 

It is a pity for a child to grow up without know- 
ing and loving the 'Tilgrim's Progress." To give him 
this pleasure the book should be read to him or put 
into his hands when about ten years old. Otherwise 
the psychologic moment has passed and he may never 
learn to care for the great English classic. 

The great mediaeval legends should also be known 
to the child. They are interwoven with much of 
history and literature and give a glimpse into a rapidly 
receding past. 

We include in our list a charming wee volume, 
'The Young Folks' Book of Etiquette," by C. S. Grif- 
fen, which the mother, wearied of repeating from day 
to day the same admonitions as to manners and morals, 
will find a great assistance in seconding her efforts. 
The child will enjoy both the text and the pictures. 

For the child's Bible reading we recommend 
Moulton's edition of the Old and New Testaments. 
The language is identical with that of the familiar 
old volume, but the text is condensed so that each story 
is given in the form of a continuous narrative, and ob- 
jectionable passages are omitted. It may thus safely 
be put into the hands of very young children, who en- 
joy the simple, dignified style. 

Music also must form a part of the child's library. 
The list appended covers a variety of needs. 



FAIRY TALES, MYTHS, AND LEGENDS 

Adventures of Pinocchio, trans- Among the Night People, Clara 

lated from Cullodi by Cramp (an D. Pierson. (Exceptionally good.) 

Italian classic loved by children). Arabian Nights Entertainments. 

yEsop's Fables Bimbi, Quida. (Collection of 

... . Txr J 1 J T ■ beautiful tales.) 

Alice m Wonderland, Lewis Book of Saints and Friendly 

'-^'^'■oli- Beasts, Abbie Farwell Brown. 

Among the Farmyard People, Bow-wow and Mew-mew, Georg- 

Clara D. Pierson. iana M. Craik. 



153 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 



FAIRY TALES, ETC.— Continued 



Boys' Odyssey, W. C. Perry. 

Curious Book of Birds, Abbie 
Farwell Brown. 

Fairy Tales, Hans Christian 
Andersen. 

Fifty Famous Stories Retold, 
Baldwin. 

Folk Tales from the Russian, 
Blumenthal. 

Gods and Heroes, Francillon. 
(Greek legends.) 

Household Stories, Anna C. 
Klingensmith. 

Heroes Every Child Should 
Know, Hamilton 'Wright Mabie. 

In the Days of Giants, Abbie 
Farwell Brown. (Norse legends.) 

Japanese Fairy Tales, trans- 
lated by Williston. 

Jungle Book, Kipling. 

King Arthur and His Court, 
Frances Nimmo Greene. 

Knights of the Silver Shield, 
R. M. Alden. (Includes "Why 
the Chimes Rang.") 

Little Black Sambo. (Beloved 
by young children.) 
^ Mother Goose (Altemus edi- 
tion) , including a few fairy tales. 

Nights with Uncle Remus, Joel 
Chandler Harris. 

Norse Gods and Heroes, A. 
Klingensmith. 



Norse Tales, Hamilton W. 
Mabie. 

Peterkin Papers, Hale. (Af- 
ford pure, wholesome humor.) 

Peter Rabbit, The Tale of, 
Beatrix Potter. 

Saints of Italy Legends, Ella 
Noyes. 

Story of Siegfried, Baldwin. 

The Boys' King Arthur, edited 
by Lanier. 

The Red Book of Romance, 
edited by Lang. 

The Red Fairy Book and 
others of same series, edited by 
Lang. 

Tanglewood Tales, Hawthorne 
(Greek Legends). 

The Oak Tree Fairy Book, ed- 
ited by Clifton Johnson. 

The Pilgrim's Progress, Bun- 
yan. 

The Stars in Song and Le- 
gend, Jermain G. Porter. 

The Wonder Book, Haw- 
thorne. 

Wagner Story Book, Frost. 

Wandering Heroes, Lillian T. 
Price. 

Water Babies, Charles Kings- 
ley. 

Wizard of Oz, Baum. 



HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY 



Childhood of Ji-Shib the Ojib- 
wa, A. E. Jenks. 

Children of the Cold, Fred- 
erick Schwatka. (Life among 
Esquimaux children.) 

Cttore, 3e Amicis, translated 
by Mrs. Lucas. (Experiences of 
a school boy in Italy.) 

Each and All, Jane Andrews. 

Five Minute Stories, Laura E. 
Richards. 

History of the Ancient Greeks, 
C. D. Shaw. 



Lolami, the Little Cliff-Dwel- 
ler, Clara K. Bayliss. 

Ten Boys of Long Ago, An- 
drews. 

The Chinese Boy and Girl, 
Bishop Headland. 

The Snow Baby, Mrs. Peary. 

Seven Little Sisters, Jane An- 
drews. 

Story of Joan of Arc for Boys 
and Girls. 

Story of My Life, Helen Kel- 
ler. 

Story of Troy, M. Clarke. 



The Child's Library 



153 



NATURE 



A Year in the Fields, Bur- 
roughs. 

Everyday Birds, Bradford 
Torrey. 

First Book of Forestry, Fili- 
bert Roth. 

Friends in Feathers and Fur, 
Johonnot. 

Grasshopper Land, Margaret 
Morley. 

How to Attract Birds, Neltje 
Blanchan. 

Lady Hollyhock and Her 
Friends, Margaret C. Walker. 
(Tells how to make dolls out of 
flowers.) 

Plant Relations, Coulter. 



Pussy Meow, S. Louise Patte 
son. 

The Bee People, Margare 
Morley. 

The Hall of Shells. 

The Stars in Song and Le 
gend, J. G. Porter. 

The Training of Wild Ani 
mals, Frank C. Bostock. 

Trees in Prose and Poetry. 
Stone and Fickett. 

Ways of the Woodtolk, Wil 
liam J. Long. 

Wilderness Ways, William J 
Long. 

Wild Animals I Have Known 
Seton Thompson. 



POETRY 



Book of Nursery Rhymes, New 
Collection of Old Mother Goose, 
Charles Welsh. 

Children's Book, The, compila- 
tion by Scuddcr. (Prose and 
verse. ) 

Child's Garden of Verses, Rob- 
ert L. Stevenson. 

The Chinese Mother Goose, 
Bishop Headland. (Charmingly 
illustrated with photographic 
pictures of Chinese children with 
their parents.) 

Golden Numbers, Kate Doug- 
las Wiggin. (Choice collection of 
miscellaneous poetry; beautifully 
bound.) 



Little Rhymes for Little Read- 
ers, Wilhelmina Seegmiller. 

Lyrica Heroica, edited by W. 
E. Henley. 

One Thousand Poems for Chil- 
dren, Roger Ingpen. (A very 
full collection.) 

The Listening Child, L. W. 
Thacher. (Compilation of short 
poems suitable for children over 
six.) 

The Posy Ring, Kate Douglas 
Wiggin. (Choice collection for 
young children.) 

The Robin's Christmas Eve. 
(Old English ballad.) 



PICTURE BOOKS 



An Apple Pie, Kate Green- 
away. 

At Great Aunt Martha's (Pic- 
tures), Kathleen Ainslie. (Il- 
lustrations of wooden dolls.) 

Book of Nonsense, Edward 
Lear. (Highly recommended by 
Ruskin.) 



Dean's Rag Books. (For very 
young children; will wash and 
iron.) 

Jingleman Jack (Pictures and 
verses about the trades), O'Dea 
and Kennedy. 

Four and Twenty Toilers, 
Lucas. (Hard to procure.) 



154 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 



MUSIC 



Children's Messiah, Mari Ruef 
Hofer. 

Children's Singing Games, Old 
and New, Mari Ruef Hofer. 

Christmas-Time Songs and 
Carols, Mrs. Crosby Adams. 

Finger Plays, Emilie Poulsson. 

Holiday Songs, Emilie Pouls- 
son. 

Merry Songs and Games for 
the Use of the Kindergarten, 
Clara B. Hubbard. 

Music for the Child World, 
Mari Ruef Hofer. Two vols. 
(Music every child should 
know.) 

Nature Songs for Children, 
Fanny Snow Knowlton. 

Primary and Junior Songs for 
the Sunday-school, Mari Ruef 
Hofer. 



Small Songs for Small Singers, 
illustrated, W. H. Neidlinger. 

Song Stories for the Kinder- 
garten, Mildred and Patty Hill. 

Songs and Games for Little 
Ones, Walker and Jenks. 

Songs and Games of the 
Mother-Play Book, Froebel. 

Songs Every Child Should 
Know, Dolores Bacon. 

Songs for Little Children, 
Eleanor Smith. Two vols. 

Songs of Childhood, Field de 
Koven Song Book. 

Songs of the Open, Seeboeck. 

Songs of the Child World, 
Jessie L. Gaynor. 

St. Nicholas Songs, the Words 
from St. Nicholas Magazine. 



SUNDAY-SCHOOL HELPS 



A Year of Sunday-school 
Work, Florence U. Palmer, 

Beginnings, A. W. Gould. 
Pamphlet. Tells of the begin- 
nings of world, man, sin, lan- 
guage, death, law, etc., accord- 
ing to the Bible, according to 
Science, and according to old 
myths. 

Bible for Young People, 
Century Co. 

Kindergarten Sunday-school 



Stories, Laura A. Cragin. 
(New Testament.) 

Old and New Testament for 
Children, edited by Richard G. 
Moulton. 

Old Testament Bible Stories, 
Walter L. Sheldon. 

Stories from the Lips of the 
Teacher, O. B. Frothingham. 

Stories of the Patriarchs, 
O. B. Frothingham. 

Wonder Stories from the Gos- 
pels, Katherine Beebe. 



CHAPTER XI 

KINDERGARTEN MATERIALS 

The Kindergarten Gifts 

Friedrich Froebel, after observing and studying 
thoughtfully the play and playthings of little children, 
selected from among these, and arranged in logical 
order, a certain series which should help develop the 
little one in mind, body, and spirit through childlike 
play. This series of related playthings is known as the 
kindergarten ''gifts." 

All children of all races play ball, and the first 
kindergarten gift to be given, even to a very little 
child, consists of six soft worsted balls in the colors 
red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. 

The second gift is an oblong box containing a 
wooden ball or "sphere," a cube, and a cylinder, with 
several slender axles and beams to assist in the little 
plays. 

The third gift is a box containing a two-inch 
cube divided horizontally and vertically into eight 
one-inch cubes. 

The fourth gift is a similar cube divided hori- 
zontally into eight oblong blocks. 

The fifth gift is evolved from the preceding ones 
and is a five-inch cube divided into inch cubes, half 
cubes, and quarter cubes. 

The sixth gift is a cube of the same size divided 
so that it contains cubes, oblongs, and plinths. 

The third, fourth, fifth, and sixth gifts are derived 
from the geometrical solids. 

155 



156 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

The seventh gift is derived from the geomet- 
rical surfaces, and consists of wooden tablets in 
shapes of circles, squares, triangles, etc. 

The eighth gift represents the geometrical line and 
is made up of wooden sticks in lengths of one, two, 
three, four, five, and six inches. They may be had in 
two thicknesses and either colored or uncolored. 

The ninth gift, derived from the edge of the circle, 
consists of metal rings, half rings, and quarter rings, 
in several sizes. 

The tenth gift, derived from the geometric point, 
is the lentil. 

Kindergartners differ as to the amount of em- 
phasis to be placed upon the geometric side of the 
"gifts," and as to whether or not they should always 
be presented in a certain logical order. To appreciate 
their full value the mother must read her Froebel or 
take a kindergarten course. We give below some 
simple methods of using them, from which the child 
will derive both pleasure and benefit. What follows 
should be entirely clear, especially if the mother has 
the "gifts" before her as she reads. 

First Gift Balls (Rubber ball ij^ inches in diameter, 
zvool in six primary colors, crochet-hook) 
These balls can be made by taking a rubber ball 
and crocheting around it a case of worsted ; or a case 
can be crocheted and then stuffed with loose wool or 
cotton. In the latter case to insure a good shape it is 
well to crochet over a ball till nearly finished; then 
take the rubber ball out and fill with the cotton or 
wool and then complete the ball. Then crochet a 
string about eight inches long and attach to the ball, 
for suspending it. The ball can then be swung, raised, 
lowered, made to hop like a bird, swing like a pendu- 



Kindergarten Materials 157 

lum, revolve rapidly like a wheel. The child may 
play that it is a bucket being raised or lowered. See 
how steadily he can raise it. 

The balls lend themselves to many color games. 

1. Place them in a row, let one child blind his 
eyes, another one removes one of the balls and the 
first one, opening his eyes, tries to think which one is 
missing. 

2. Let children observe the colors through a glass 
prism and try to arrange balls in similar order. Ask 
child if he can tell which colors are uppermost in the 
rainbow, the cold or the warm ones. 

3. If the mother is sewing on a colored dress, let 
the child try to pick out the ball resembling it in color. 

4. Play hiding the ball, as in hide the thimble. 

5. Play store, letting him tell you which ball will 
best represent a lemon, an orange, a red apple, etc. 

Second Gift Plays 

Throughout his life, Froebel felt with keen pain 
all that was discordant or inharmonious in human so- 
ciety. Beneath all differences and misunderstandings 
lay, he believed, the possibility of adjustment, or recon- 
ciliation. Relations most strained might be brought 
into harmonious union. This great idea is typified by 
the second gift. The hard wooden sphere is round, 
curved from all points of view, with no angles or 
edges, and is easily moved. The cube is a complete 
contrast to the sphere, inasmuch as it stands firmly, 
has flat faces, angles, and edges. The cylinder com- 
bines the characteristics and possibilities of the other 
two. It has flat faces as well as a curved one, and 
can both stand and roll. It forms a bond of connec- 
tion between the other two which at first sight seem 
irreconcilable. 



158 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

Three of these forms have small staples inserted 
in side, edge, and angle so that they may be suspended, 
swung, and revolved. There are also perforations 
through each one admitting the insertion of the axles, 
when needed for certain plays. 

If an axle be put through cube or cylinder and it 
be revolved rapidly, you can see, in the swift moving 
figure, the spirit, as it were, of the other forms — an 
experiment fascinating to young and old. 

A little imagination will turn the box in which 
these blocks come, into a boat, car, engine, etc., pins, 
matches, tacks, wire, etc., being called in as extras. 

The little wooden beam may be placed across, held 
up by the axles and upon this the blocks may be sus- 
pended as objects for sale in a store. 

The box with its cover may be used to illustrate 
the three primary mechanical principles, the pulley, or 
wheel, the inclined plane, and the lever. The pulley 
is made by placing the cylinder on an axle, tying a 
little weight to one end of a cord and drawing it up 
over the cyHnder. Let the child play the weight is a 
bucket of water being drawn up from a well. 

Play loading a boat and use the cover for a plank, 
inclined from the deck to the ground, up which to roll 
a barrel (the cylinder). 

Play that the cube is a heavy piano box and show 
how to raise it by using a stick as a lever. 

The students of a kindergarten training school 
made fine derrick cranes with this box of blocks, and 
no two were exactly alike. 



Games with Second Gift Ball 

I. Let children sit crossed-legged on the floor 
in a circle and let one child roll the ball across to an- 



Kindergarten Materials 159 

other child. He in turn rolls it straight over to some 
other child and so on. 

2. Let one child sit in the center of a circle and 
roll the ball to each child in turn, who rolls it back 
to him. 

3. Let several children stand in the center of a 
ring and try to catch the ball as it rolls swiftly by. 

4. Let children stand in center and try to avoid 
being touched by the ball as it rolls along. 

5. Draw a circle on the floor and let the children 
try in turn to so roll the ball that it will stop inside of 
the ring. 

6. Place the cube in the center of the circle. Put 
the cylinder on top of the cube and balance the sphere 
carefully upon the cylinder. Then let the children try 
to hit this target with another ball. 

Many are the lessons in self-control, fair play, 
patience and kindness which the children practice in 
playing these simple games, in addition to the physical 
exercise and training in alertness, in seeing correctly 
and in acting quickly. 

Second Gift Beads 

Mrs. Kallmann, a kindergarten training teacher, 
some years ago added to the "gifts" the so-called ''sec- 
ond gift beads," much loved by wee children. 

These are perforated wooden beads in shape of 
the sphere, cube and cylinder. They come in two sizes 
and may be had in colors or uncolored. A shoe lace 
comes with them for stringing. 

In delightful plays with these beads the child 
learns to distinguish form and color, and has practice 
in simple designing. 

At first let him have a number of different kinds 



i6oHome Occupations for Boys and Girls 

and let him thread them as he pleases. Observe him 
and see if, of his own initiative, he will distinguish 
either form or color. After a while he will probably, 
without suggestion, begin to string them in some sort 
of order — one sphere, one cube, one sphere, one cube, 
etc. Two spheres, two cubes, two cylinders, etc. 

When he begins to see differences, give him two 
forms only and let him arrange. Later give him others. 
Too many at first will be confusing. 

Besides the stringing, these beads may be used 
in other ways. Make a fence by putting two cubes 
and a sphere, one on top of the other for a post, and 
then join these to similar posts by running toothpicks 
or burnt matches through the perforations. 

Place cubes and cylinders, one on top of another, 
and use as tree box with tiny twig or elderberry branch 
for tree. If making a toy village of blocks or card- 
board, these little beads will make good lampposts. 

The Pegboard 

The pegboard, an additional gift devised by Mrs. 
Alice H. Putnam, can also be had in two sizes, the 
large one to be preferred. The board is perforated 
with holes at regular intervals and is accompanied 
with colored pegs, which the child loves to insert in 
the openings. 

He may arrange them in ranks for soldiers, ac- 
cording to color, two and two, or four and four, 
learning thus to count. 

A flower-bed with red flowers in one corner and 
green bushes in another may be made. 

He may play that the pegs are kindergarten chil- 
dren playing follow the leader, some with red dresses, 
some with blue waists, etc. 

A birthday cake with candles may be represented, 



Kindergarten Materials i6i 

or a line of telegraph poles, if father has gone on a 
journey, and over the imaginary wires a message may 
be sent. 

The pegboard is also loved by very young chil- 
dren. 

Plays with the Other Gifts 

The third gift cubes may be built by the little 
child into houses, furniture, wagons, etc. It is very 
simple, and yet when handling it the child learns 
something of form and number and gains skill with 
his tiny hands. 

The fourth gift expresses "proportion." Each 
block is twice the length of those in the preceding gift 
and half as high. He can build with it objects impos- 
sible with the first divided cube. The two may often 
be used in conjunction. 

The fifth gift requires a decided increase in the 
child's powers of coordination. He can make with it 
a very great variety of objects. Only a kindergartner 
can appreciate its many possibilities. 

The sixth gift lends itself peculiarly to buildings 
of a certain type. It expresses less strength and more 
grace than the preceding ones. 

In playing with these "gifts" under direction of 
a teacher, the child, if making the grocery store, pro- 
ceeds to make the counter, the scales, the money desk, 
etc., in succession, and is not allowed to take the first 
structure apart in disorderly fashion and then make 
the next one, but is supposed to build the counter, or 
other article, by gradually transforming the thing al- 
ready made, removing the blocks in ones^ or twos, or 
threes in an orderly way. Each block is supposed to 
have some relation to the whole. For instance if a 
shoe store has been made and one unused block re- 



1 62 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

mains, it may represent the footstool used in such a 
store. 

Froebel thought in this way through simple play 
to help the child Httle by little to feel the relatedness 
of all life. 

Seventh Gift Plays 

With the seventh gift tablets the child makes 
designs or "beauty forms," becoming familiar with 
certain geometrical forms and exercising his powers 
of invention in pleasing design. 

In using the tablets, which are in both light and 
dark stains, do not give too many at first. Give him 
for instance one circle, representing a picture of a 
ball, and let him lay a row of such for a frieze design 
for a gymnasium. 

Give a circle and four squares, and let him place, 
one above, one below, one to the right and one to the 
left, touching the circle. This will suggest a unit for 
a tile for a playroom fireplace. 

Tell him to change the top square so that its 
angle touches the circle; then change the lower one 
in the same way; then the right, then the left. This 
transformation gives an entirely new design. 

The other tablets may be employed in the same 
way, the different kinds of triangles offering oppor- 
tunity for much variety. 

Eighth Gift Plays 

The sticks may be used in representing designs 
in which the straight line prevails. The lines may be 
placed in vertical or horizontal position. Sticks may 
be arranged as soldiers, standing two and two in 
straight vertical lines ; or as fences in horizontal posi- 
tion. 



Kindergarten Materials 163 

They may be classified as to length. Let the 
child sort them as wood for the woodpile, putting to- 
gether those of same length. Or play he is in the 
store to buy a cane and sees those of different lengths, 
some for men, some for children. 

For designing give the child four sticks of one 
length and let him make a square. Give him four of 
another length and let him make a larger square. 
Then with these eight sticks let him make two ob- 
longs of the same size. Give him these exercises as 
puzzles, but do not let him play with the sticks until 
he gets nervous in trying to keep them in position. 

Play With Lentils 

These are necessarily few and simple. Let the 
child make circles, squares, etc., by putting the lentils 
in rows. He can also represent the mass of a tree's 
foliage by placing a number of the lentils in a mass. 



CHAPTER XII 

KINDERGARTEN MATERIALS 

The Kindergarten Occupations 

The kindergarten gifts proceed, as will have been 
observed, from the solid through other forms to the 
point. The objects made with these are but temporary, 
and the same material may be used again and again. 

Parallel with these Froebel devised what he calls 
the "occupations," which put into permanent shape 
the ideas expressed by the gifts. 

Among the occupations (we will not name all) 
are : Peaswork, pricking, sewing, weaving, parquetry, 
pasting, cardboard modeling, sand and clay modeling. 

These are arranged in reverse order to the gifts ; 
that is, they proceed from the point to the solid. 

Peaswork {Good well-dried peas, wooden toothpicks 

or hair-wire) 

Soak the peas for lo or 12 hours till soft. Then 
make a cane of one pea and one stick. 

Two peas and one stick will make a dumb-bell. 

Three of each will make a triangle. 

Make a square in the same way, and then by 
adding to this other peas and sticks a skeleton chair 
can be made. All kinds of furniture and geometrical 
forms may be thus manufactured. The wire or tooth- 
pick must be inserted in the cheek of the pea. Watch 
the child carefully to see that he does not get nervous 
over the work. Assuming that the peas are in good 

164 



The Kindergarten Occupations 165 

condition, there should be little trouble if the forms 
made are simple. 

Pricking (Thin zvhite cardboard, long pin, several 

folds of cloth or a piece of felt) 

Froebel recognized the appeal this pastime makes 
to the mystery-loving child. As sometimes used it 
may be injurious to nerves or eyesight; but used judi- 
ciously the child of five or six will find it a source of 
harmless entertainment. 

Let mother or older brother draw on cardboard 
a simple strong outline. Provide a strong steel pin 
(hat-pin or mourning-pin will do) and a piece of 
folded cloth for a cushion. Follow the outline by 
pricking in it a succession of holes. The rough side 
is the right side of the decorated card. The card may 
be hung up as a transparency, or may be made up into 
blotter or calendar; or, if the outline be that of a 
vegetable or a fruit, it will make up into a Thanks- 
giving place card. 

Very beautiful effects are produced by pricking 
the surface as well as the outline, a form of embossing, 
but this is a great strain on the nerves. Let the child 
work for only a few moments at a time, and be sure 
that the light is good and the drawing is distinct. 

Sewing {Cardboard, worsted, silk or chenille, needle, 

punch) 

It is a disputed question now whether or not the 
cardboard sewing of the kindergarten, once consid- 
ered so essential, should be used at all. Some condemn 
it entirely; others use it sparingly, xslany replace it 
with sewing on cloth and other materials soft and 
flexible, which lend themselves to the kind of stitch- 
ing required later in everyday sewing. We cannot 



166 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

now enter into the discussion, but common-sense rules 
here as elsewhere. 

Cards with designs already drawn and perforated 
may be bought, but the mother need not feel that she 
must depend upon these. Old visiting and invitation 
cards may be used for the purpose. We give a few 
examples of objects pretty and useful which may be 
made of this material. These will suggest others to 
the active-minded child. Get punch at kindergarten 
supply store; from 50 cents up. 

1. Gift Card. Cut a square of cardboard 5x5 
inches. With a needleful of red worsted let the 
child sew upon this card three straight candles in 
stitches one inch long. You may first punch in the 
bottom of the card three holes as guides. Put them 
in a row equidistant from each other. Make parallel 
to these a row of three dots in pencil. The child will 
push the needle through one hole from helozv and put 
it through the dot above, making his own hole. So 
proceed till finished. A flame may be drawn with 
yellow chalk at the upper end of each candle, to make 
it more realistic. This card may be used to stand a 
candlestick upon, or to send as a birthday card. 

A similar card with the red stitches lying hori- 
zontally will picture firecrackers ready to be set off. 
Use as a mat for a match safe. 

2. Cover for Medicine Glass. Draw a circle 
five inches in diameter. Cut this out. Parallel 
to the edge draw a circle four inches in diameter. 
Make dots about ^ inch apart along this second cir- 
cle. Punch holes through these dots. With worsted, 
ravelings or chenille let the child sew once around this 
circle. Then go around the other way to fill up all 
the gaps left the first time. Use as cover for glass 
of medicine. Line the bottom with clean, white paper. 



The Kindergarten Occupations 167 

Vary by overcasting, or from a central hole take 
long" radiating stitches to the holes in the circumfer- 
ence like the spokes of a wheel. 

3. Toy Umbrella. The above circle with spokes 
may be made into a toy umbrella if a slender 
stick be run through for a handle. Stick a pin about 
an inch from the top to keep the umbrella part from 
slipping down. 

4. Bookmark. Cut an oblong card 2x6 inches. 
Draw upon this a row of parallel oblique lines 
about one inch apart and one inch long. Punch holes 
through the ends of the lines at the bottom, sew one 
slanting line to show the child, and let him finish the 
row. A similar oblong will make a napkin ring if the 
ends be brought together and tied with the ends of the 
worsted. 

Squares, oblongs, crosses, etc., may thus be 
punched and sewed. 

If no punch is obtainable, make the holes with a 
coarse needle or strong pin. 

Paper Tearing (See page 54) 

Paper Cutting 

This is another Froebelian occupation. Some sug- 
gestions havej^een given elsewhere. (See page 54.) 
We will speak here of a more definite series of pro- 
gressive steps. 

Take a square of white paper. Fold once to 
make an oblong. Keep folded and fold once more, 
which gives a small square. From the corners of this 
square cut pieces, large or small. Keep these. Open 
the paper and lay it down. Then arrange around it 
the cut-off corners to make a design. They may be 



i68 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

arranged in a variety of ways. The pieces cut off the 
corners may be of various shapes. 

Vary another square by cutting: into it, after it 
has been folded, triangles or other figures. Open and 
arrange around it these cut-off pieces. When a satis- 
factory design has thus been made, it may be pasted 
on a pleasing background of paper. 

In kindergarten training, checked paper is pro- 
vided and the cuttings are made from lines drawn 
upon this according to a progressive system. 

Parquetry {Colored papers, paste, kindergarten slat or 

match for paste-stick) 

This occupation has its parallel in the tablets. 
The designs made temporarily with the circles, squares, 
etc., of wood may be put into more permanent form 
with the parquetry papers. These are circles, squares, 
triangles, etc., of colored papers, the unit of size being 
the inch. There are i,ooo in a package, embracing 
the six colors — red, orange, yellow, green, blue and 
violet, with two shades and two tints of each, besides 
neutral tones, and black and white. 

1. Easter Card. Give the child an oblong 
piece of gray cardboard, six inches long, and some 
yellow circles. Let him paste a row of circles for dan- 
delion heads and then chalk in the green stems. Give 
to father for an Easter card. 

Red and yellow circles may be cut in half and 
so arranged as to suggest tulips. (See page 122.) 

2. Frieze. Let the child make designs for a 
frieze for the doll-house parlor, arranging circles and 
squares successively or alternately on a strip of paper. 
Or he can make a design for the doll-house kitchen 
oilcloth by pasting squares or circles (one square or 
circle surrounded by others) in a square unit. 



The Kindergarten Occupations 169 

An inexpensive paste for this work may be made 
of gum tragacanth. Buy five cents' worth of the pow- 
dered gum. Put a tablespoonful into an empty mucil- 
age bottle and fill with water. In a few moments it 
will dissolve and thicken. Use more or less, accord- 
ing to thickness desired. 

Weaving (Colored kindergarten weaving mats, weav- 
ing needle) 

This is one of the most popular of kindergarten 
occupations. 

Primitive man early learned to interlace the 
branches of trees to make for himself a shelter, and 
to weave together coarse fibres to make his crude gar- 
ments. In course of ages great skill was acquired in 
thus using all kinds of flexible materials ; artistic bas- 
kets were produced of raflia and reeds, and fine gar- 
ments of linen, wool and cotton. Beautiful effects in 
color and form were introduced, the designs usually 
having a symbolic meaning. 

Froebel devised, for the expression of this natural 
tendency, a series of exercises with colored paper, 
w-hich gave practice in selection of color harmonies, 
in designing, in counting, and which led to skill and 
neatness in work. 

Loom-weaving has been described on another 
page. (90.) In many kindergartens it now en- 
tirely supersedes the paper-weaving, which we will 
here briefly describe. 

I. If you do not care to buy the regular kinder- 
garten weaving mats, you may use smooth gray or 
brown wrapping paper cut into four-inch squares. In 
such a square cut tzvo slits ^ inch apart and one inch 
long. From some pretty paper cut a strip one inch 
wide and two inches long and insert in the slit in the 



170 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

mat, pasting the ends of the strip to the under side 
of the mat. 

2. Cut three or four sHts in similar mats and 
weave into them one-inch or half-inch strips, using 
narrower ones as the child gains skill. Weave such 
a strip under one and over one; then weave another, 
under two and over two, etc. ; thus a variety of effects 
may be produced and the child meanwhile has prac- 
tice incidentally in simple counting. Such a mat may 
be used to cover a glass of drinking water or medicine 
glass. 

3. A larger mat may be made of pretty paper 
cut into comparatively fine slits. Paste upon this mat 
a square of smooth paper as a kind of lining; fold 
cornerwise and paste two edges together, making a 
kind of cornucopia. 

4. Scent-Bag. A scent-bag may be made by 
putting between the mat and the lining described 
above a thin piece of cotton-batting, sprinkled with 
scent. 

5. Oilcloth or Felt. Instead of paper, mats 
may be woven of plain oilcloth or of felt. Have 
two colors of each material^ one for the mat and one 
for the strips. 

On a 5-inch square of the material draw four 
parallel lines one inch apart and one inch from the 
top and bottom. Then using these as guide lines, cut 
four slits and weave in and out as with the paper 
weaving. Ribbon may be used for the woof if de- 
sired. Such a mat may be used for a lamp-mat or 
for a flower-pot mat. 

Among the reasons for discarding the paper- 
weaving are the following: The colors are somewhat 
intense, and it is not always easy to secure good har- 



The Kindergarten Occupations 171 

monies; the care necessary to avoid tearin^^ the deli- 
cate paper and soiHng the deHcate colors is often a 
trial to highly-strung children. Therefore they should 
not work at it too long at a time. A weaving needle 
comes with the kindergarten weaving papers. 

Paper-Folding 

We give here only a very few of the innumerable 
forms which may be made by folding paper accord- 
ing to exact directions. Mother may conduct such 
a little play while she is sewing and the child is on 
the floor or at the table. But directions must be 
exact and explicit. After once having told what to 
do in quiet, distinct, clear language, do not repeat. 
Train the child to hear accurately the first time. 

Papers in many tones may be obtained from the 
kindergarten supply stores, but any exact square of 
white paper or of smooth brown wrapping paper 
will do. 

Place the simple open square before the child, 
the edge directly in front of him. Call it a table- 
cloth and ask where the different members of the 
family sit. If able to wield the scissors, let him 
fringe the edge all around. 

1. Book. Give a second square and, showing 
him which are the front corners, tell him to take hold 
of these and fold the paper over so that the front edge 
is just on a line with the back edge. Let him iron 
the table cloth (crease the fold with his thumb nail) 
so as to make a sharp line when opened. This makes 
a little book or tent. Ask what he can read in the 
book; who camps out in the tent; etc. 

2. Window. Make another tent. Keep the tent 
in front of the child and tell him to open it and 
then to fold the left side over so that the left edge 



172 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 



exactly meets the right edge. Crease and open, and 
the result is a window with four panes. Have the 
child tell what he plays he can see through it. 

3. Tunnel. Fold a square once through the 
middle as before. Open and notice the sharp line 
made by the crease. Now fold the front edge to meet 
exactly this line. Open and then fold the back edge 
to meet this line. Open in such a way that the form 
when standing makes a little tunnel. Roll a marble 
under it. 

4. Barn.' Fold a square into sixteen little squares 
by making a tunnel in one direction and then 
folding a tunnel in the other direction, so that the 
creases cross each other at right angles. Open out 
and cut from the left edge and from the right edge 
three slits along the horizontal creases to the first 
intersecting vertical crease. (See illustration.) Now 





\ 


J 


^ 


\ 




/ 








£ 


\ 


L 


1 




Paper-Folding. 

fold No. I over No. 2 so that one little square exactly 
covers the other and paste or pin together. Do the 
same at the other end. This draws the paper into 
shape of gable roof. Place remaining flaps so that 
one overlaps the other a trifle, as shown in the illus- 
tration. Then cut a door in the side. (See illustra- 



The Kindergarten Occupations 173 

lion.) This can be made of a large sheet of strong 
paper and will house very large paper animals. 

5. Sailboat. Place a square of paper directly 
in front of you. Fold the front edge backward to 
meet exactly the back edge and crease. Open and 
fold the left edge over to meet exactly the right edge 
and crease. Open. 

Turn the paper over so that the under side is 
uppermost, and place so that a corner is directly in 
front of you. Fold the paper so that the front corner 
exactly meets the back corner and crease. Open and 
fold so that the left corner exactly meets the right 
corner. 

You now have a square crossed by two diameters 
and by two diagonals. Number the corners thus : i, 2, 
3, 4, and the center o. Take the corners and hold in 
one hand so that i-o, 2-0, 3-0 and 4-0 are back to 
back. Then crease in that position. The form is a 
square. Lay down so that the folded corner faces 
you. Fold the loose back corner down to meet the front 
corner. Then turn over and again fold the remain- 
ing back corner down to meet the front corner, and 
two sails become visible. Fold back one-half of the 
hull to make a base, and the little boat will stand and 
move if breathed upon. It can be made water-tight 
by dipping in melted paraffine. Melt the paraffine by 
putting it in a double boiler with boiling water be- 
neath. 

Cardboard Modeling {Cardboard, knife, pencil, scis- 
sors) 

This is another of Froebel's materials which is 
much used in the kindergarten. The regular kinder- 
garten cardboard comes in large sheets measured off 
into inches, half inches and quarter inches by red and 



174 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

blue lines. These are to assist in the accurate cut- 
ting and folding of the stiff paper. The tinted Bristol 
board obtainable at stationery stores is also much 
used. 

With this simple material older children acquire 
skill of both hand and eye. The higher school grades 
are now using it to a great extent in making geomet- 
rical figures, thus gaining practice in making objects 
after first making the working drawings for the same. 
A tinsmith .who has had kindergarten training will 
find himself better equipped for his life work because 
of this early experience in cutting and measuring. 

The directions here given assume that the unruled 
cardboard is used. 

To score is to make a long shallow cut or scratch 
in the cardboard with a knife, so that it will bend 
easily. We give a few simple objects in the order of 
their difficulty. 

1. Book-Mark. Draw an oblong i x 8 inches. 
Cut it out and punch a series of holes down the mid- 
dle, one inch apart. Run a bit of baby ribbon in and 
out and thus make a simple book-mark. 

2. Toy Wash-Bench. Draw and cut an oblong 
1x6 inches. Draw a line straight across this one 
inch from each end, and then score these lines lightly. 
Bend and you have a wash-bench for doll's house. 

3. Sugar-Scoop. Draw and cut an oblong 
2x4 inches. Draw a line lengthwise through the 
middle. Score this line, and cut along the score one 
inch from each end. Score again from each end at 
right angles to the previous crease. Bend up the 
scored ends and the side, and paste the flaps together. 
This may be used for the toy grocery store. 

4. Box. Read these directions through once. 



The Kindergarten Occupations 175 

Then begin and work along as you read again, and 
all will be clear. 

Cut out a square measuring 4x4 inches. Place 
squarely before you, and then on the front edge, one 
inch from each side, make a dot. On the back edge, 
one inch from each side, make a dot. Unite the dots 
at front and back by straight lines. This gives two 
vertical lines. 

Now, on the right hand edge, one inch from 
each end make a dot, and do the same on the left 
hand edge. Unite these dots by straight lines, which 
gives two horizontal lines crossing the ones previously 
made at right angles. With a sharp knife, and ruler 
to keep it straight, score along these lines so that they 
may be readily bent. 

Now, from the right edge cut along each hori- 
zontal line a slit one inch long. From the left edge 
cut along each horizontal line a slit one inch long. 
These cuts will give four flaps. Bend up the four 
oblong sides and fold each flap over inside the box 
and paste. 

A little experimentation on the part of older chil- 
dren will show how to elongate one side so as to make 
a cover. 

Differences in the proportions of the original 
piece of cardboard will make boxes of different pro- 
portions. 

5. Work-Box. Draw a five-inch pentagon. Look 
up in a geometry to find the rules for doing this. 

Upon each side as a base erect another pentagon. 
Score at the line of junction and bend the side penta- 
gons till the edges meet. In these edges punch holes 
opposite each other, and through these tie baby ribbon 
to hold them together. 



176 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

Clay Modeling {Potter's clay, oilcloth or small smooth 
hoard, curtain pole) 

Clay is one of the important kindergarten ma- 
terials, and if used with care need give but little trou- 
ble. Buy at kindergarten supply store or art shop. 

Take a yard of table oilcloth and sew tapes to 
the corners so long that the oilcloth may be tied to a 
table and thus held smooth and firm. When not in 
use keep rolled up on a curtain-pole, broom-handle 
or dowel. This preserves it from untimely cracking. 
Upon this oilcloth the child can easily work with the 
clay, and the small pieces which may stick to it are 
readily wiped off with a damp cloth. If preferred, a 
small board about a foot square may be used instead 
of oilcloth. The child soon learns not to scatter the 
pieces. It is well for him to wear a little apron when 
making his small works of art. When finished with 
the clay, let him remove as much as possible from the 
hands as a rule, what remains may be rubbed away 
with a brisk clapping of the hands or is washed off 
very readily. 

1. If his first impulse is to pound and thump the 
clay, show the child how pretty things may be made 
by gently pressing and molding the clay between 
thumb and fingers. If he is still interested in pound- 
ing, show him how to make a sphere by rolling the 
clay between the palms, and then by striking it four 
times hard against the table it is transformed into a 
rough sort of cube which further effort will improve. 

2. If he inclines to make a number of balls, show 
him if possible one of the cheap clay marbles, and tell 
him to make some like it, though his will have no 
glazing. 

3. If you see that he is rolling the clay into long 



The Kindergarten Occupations 177 

lengths, suggest that he make a snake or Hnks of a 
chain. 

4. Older children may be shown how to roll it 
with the palm into long slender cylinders. Then coil 
these round and round spirally upon themselves and 
so build up a jar, as certain primitive races do. Then 
smooth it outside and inside until well shaped. 

5. Bowls and crude vases are easily made, and 
these when dried may be painted and used to hold 
matches or pencils. 

6. Sometimes, to stir the imagination, break off 
a rough piece of clay and ask the child if it looks like 
anything to him. If it suggest a bird or fish or fruit, 
show him how the crude form may be made more 
nearly perfect. 

7. Take a bit of clay and upon it press another 
bit, and so little by little smooth and press and build 
up a plaque 3^ inch high and four inches square. 
Upon this as a background, build up in the same way, 
little by little, a raised leaf, or a geometrical figure, 
such as a square or a Maltese cross. If a leaf is made, 
copy from a real leaf. 

When thus interested, let the older children read 
Longfellow's beautiful poem, "Keramis," and the work 
of the potter will have a meaning it never had before. 

The children who thus make crude efforts to 
express the beautiful gain in power little by little, 
and will have added capacity to appreciate the won- 
derful works of art to be seen in every gallery. They 
will gain in discrimination as to what is really beau- 
tiful, and will know how to choose those decorations 
and ornaments which will make their homes truly 
artistic. 

Clay lends itself so readily to the slightest turn 



178 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 

of thought, and is so easily employed by the smallest 
pair of hands, that it is one of the best materials to 
give to the little child. He soon learns to tell with it 
what he may be able to say in no other way. 

When ready to put away, break into small pieces, 
put the pieces together, knead a little till made into a 
mass, punch a few holes in the mass, fill these with 
water, put into a stone jar and cover with a damp 
cloth. Or put the clay into a cloth, dampen, and then, 
twisting the four corners of the cloth together, drop 
the mass on the floor. Do this several times and it 
will be found welded together. Then put into the 
stone jar. Disinfect clay by exposing to sunshine. 

Sand-Table (Kitchen table, sa-w, hoards, nails, sine) 
From Germany we have finally learned the value 
of the sand-table and the sand-pile as means of devel- 
opment to the child, not to speak of their virtues as 
pure givers of joy. 

Sand-tables may be bought at kindergarten stores, 
or one may be made of a kitchen table by sawing off 
the legs to the size which brings the table top within 
reach of the child. Then the top should be fenced 
in with boards, from three to six inches high, to keep 
the sand in. It is a good plan to line the table with 
zinc, since it is sometimes desirable to have the sand 
pretty wet, although it generally suffices to make it 
just damp enough to mold readily. It can be damp- 
ened with a sprinkling-can. 

1. The child will play a long while without much 
suggestion. A little pail or bottle to be filled and 
emptied and refilled will furnish material for his em- 
bryonic experiments. 

2. A tiny cast-iron spade (price one cent) will 
add materially to his happiness. 



The Kindergarten Occupations 179 

3. Shells and patty-pans of different shapes and 
convolutions suggest bakery plays, and mother must 
sample the baby's cookery. When houses and forts 
and churches are the order of the day, paths must be 
laid and bordered with stones and shells; twigs and 
elderberry branches make tiny trees for tiny orchards ; 
and a little pan of water or a bit of mirror makes a 
wee lake. The kindergarten building gifts make sub- 
stantial structures, bridges, park-benches, etc. A 
winding river can be painted with blue paint on the 
zinc. When the child's imagination flags, a word 
from the mother or a timely story will start a new 
series of plays next time. 

4. Older children will enjoy reproducing in the 
sand the hills and valleys of their environment, the 
roads, woods and streams which they know, etc. 

5. Tell of the western plant which, when uprooted 
from its loose hold in the desert sand, is sent flying 
by the wind over the sand^ and wherever it touches 
makes a perfect spiral. Let the children make such 
spirals with a coiled piece of wire. 

6. Having noticed the impression made upon the 
sand by the patty-pans, the child can be led to make 
designs with them by making a row of impressions 
equal distance^ apart, arranging these in twos, in 
threes, etc. 



INDEX 

PAGE 

Abacus 17 

Acquiring Skill with Brush or Pencil 74 

Aiming Games 95, 96, 97 

Anagrams 102 

Apple-biting Contest 132 

Apple Candlestick 24 

Apple-seed Penwiper 30 

Applied Art 76 

Ash Tray 67 

Autograph Picture 105 

Badge 123 

Baking Pan Papers 57 

Balls 96, 156 

Barn, Paper Folding 172 

Beads, Second Gift 159 

Bean Bag Games 95 

Bean Bags, To Make 95 

Bed-Making 145 

Bedstead, Dolls 87 

Bells 109, 139 

Berry Baskets or Boxes 11 

Birchbark ■ . 42 

Biscuit, Thimble 104 

Block Furniture 85 

Blowing Bubbles 51 

Blowing Out Candle 100 

Boat 22, 26, 36, 41 

Blue Prints 52 

Bon-bon Papers 58, IIS 

Booklist 151 

Bookmark 58, 174 

Border for Sand-table 40 

Bottling Shells 40 

Bottling Stones 39 

Boxes 12, 15, 174 

Breastpin 71 

Bristol Board 61 

181 



I 82 Index 

PAGS 

Brush, Pencil or : 7z 

Bubbles 51 

Burnt Match Safe 34 

Butter Dishes 41 

Butterflies 105, 121 

Butterfly Party lOS 

Butter Modeling 134 

Buttons , 69 

Button-Box 15 

Button Mold Tops 70 

Button Mold Wheels 70 

Calendar . . . : 74, 109 

Candle, Blowing Out 100 

Candle Design 55 

Candle Making 137 

Candle Sticks 24, 64, 138 

Canoe 43 

Cardboard 61 

Cardboard Animals 6z 

Cardboard Modeling 173 

Cardboard Sewing 165 

Carols 138 

Carrot Top 45 

Celluloid Butterflies 121 

Center Piece, Pumpkin 135 

Cereal Boxes 32 

Chains 56, 1 15 

Chased by a Goose 78 

Checkerboard 62 

Cherry Stone Game 99 

Chicken Coop 13 

Chicken, Easter 122 

Chicken, Squash Seed 29 

Child's Library, The 149 

Chinese Kite 66 

Chinese Toy 64 

Christmas 136 

Cigar-Box Bedstead 87 

Cigar-Box Dollhouse 82 

Circle Tag 92 

Classifying 39, 40, 48 

Clay 176 

Clay-pipe Doll 80 



Index 183 



PAGE 



Clock, Paper 86 

Clothespin Doll 80 

Clothespin Race 94 

Clover, Four-leaf 48 

Collecting 39, 40, 48 

Color Top 75 

Colors, Matching 71 

Cork 36 

Cork Doll 81 

Corn 18 

Corncobs 18 

Corncrib 18 

Cornhusks 18 

Cornstalks 135 

Counters for Games 28, 62, 69 

Countess of the Huggermuggers 100 

Counting Ball 96 

Cover for Medicine Glass 166, 170 

Cradle, Egg Shell 25 

Cranberries 136 

Croquet with Peas 98 

Cross Tag 93 

Cup and Ball 96 

Curtains for Dollhouse 87 

Cutlery, Toy 36 

Cutting Paper 54, 167 

Darning Egg 4,^ 

Decorated Note-Paper i^n 

Decoration Day 123 

Decorative Cherries 114 

Decorative Leaves 47 

Designs 21, 28, 77 

Dinner Souvenirs 120, 130, 134 

Dishes, Tin-foil 35 

Dish-washing 143 

Distances, Guessing 72 

Doll Furniture 15, ;i7, 85 

Doll-Houses 82 

Doll Park 89 

Dolls 80 

Donkey Game 100 

Drawing 31, 72 

Drums 125 



184 Index 



PAGE 

Ducking for Apples 131 

Dusting 147 

Easter 120 

Easter Card 122, 168 

Easter Chicken 122 

East Indian Fan 43 

Edam Cheese Lantern 34 

Egg-shell Boat 26 

Egg-shell Cradle 25 

Egg-shell Game , 99 

Egg-shell Garden 25 

Eggs, Humpty Dumpty 26 

Egg-shell, To Blow 25 

Egg-shells 25, 26, 99 

Eighth Gift Plays 162 

Elevator, Toy 71 

Epaulettes 56 

Experiments with Color 75 

Expression with Pencil and Brush 73 

Fairy Tales, Myths, etc 151 

Fan 43, 63 

Feather, Corn-husk 18 

Feather Flowers 49 

Felt Mats 170 

Fence 11, 19 

Festival Occasions 107 

Festoons 47 

Firecracker Designs 55 

Firecracker, Imitation 124 

First Gift Balls 156 

Flags 119 

Flower-Pot 35 

Flower Rack 37 

Flowers, Feather 49 

Flowers, Pressing ' 51 

Foot-ball, Egg 99 

Fortune Telling 131 

Fourth of July 124 

Frieze 48, 168 

Fringed Bon-bon Papers 58, 1 15 

Furniture 15, 20, 37, 85 



Index 185 



PAGE 

Games and Plays 92, 157, 158, 161 

Gift Card 166 

Gifts, Kindergarten 155 

Go-Bang Board 61 

Good Luck Pigs 109 

Gourds 44 

Grace Hoops 97 

Grocery Store 88 

Guess Ball 96 

Guessing Distances 72 

Hallowe'en 131 

Hammering Soap 31 

Handkerchief Box 42 

Hanging Basket 15, 35, 44 

Hearts no 

History and Biography Books 152 

Home Tasks 141 

Honey, Weighing 103 

House, Cob 19 

House, Doll's 33, 82 

Household Duties 141 

Humpty Dumpty Eggs 26 

Imitation Water 31 

Independence Day 124 

Indian Head-dress 50 

Ironing 146 

Jack O'Lantern 135 

Jackstones 39 

Japanese Tag 93 

Key-Basket, The 141 

Kindergarten Materials — Gifts 155 

" " — Occupations 164 

Kite 60, 66 

Labor Day 128 

" " Dinner 130 

" " Parade 129 

Lacy Valentine in 

Lamp Mats 170 



1 86 Index 

PAGE 

Lamp, Toy 86 

Lantern 33> 34, I39 

" Toy 24 

Learning to Observe 73 

Leaves, to Dry and Press 47 

Lentils 163 

Library, The Child's : 149 

Looms 90 

Man, Prunes, Raisins 27 

Masks 57 

Matching Colors 71 

Matchsafe 34, 177 

Mats 18, 46, 170 

Medicine Glass Cover 166, 170 

Memorial Day 123 

Merry-Go-Round, Dolls' 89 

Midnight Watching 109 

Mirror, Toy 36 

Money, Toy 36, 58 

Morning Glories, Pressed 51 

Moving Van 32 

Music Books 154 

Nature Books 153 

Needle Case 42 

Needles 71 

New Year's Bells 109 

" Day 108 

Newspaper Wrappers 57 

Numeral Frame 17 

Nuts 22 

Occupations, Kindergarten 164 

Oilcloth Mats 170 

Oiled Paper 87 

Omnibus Swing lOi 

Orange Basket 24 

Paint-Box, The 73 

Paint-Brush Box 43 

Painting from Object 73 

" Wagons or Houses 76 

Paper 54 



Index 187 



PAGE 

Paper Chains 56, 115 

Paper Cutting 54, 167 

Paper Doll 81 

Paper Folding 171 

Paper Furniture 85 

Paper Lanterns ^ 118 

Paper Mats 169 

Paper Money 58 

Paper- Weight 40 

Papering House 85 

Papers for Baking Pans 57 

Park for Dolls 89 

Parquetry 168 

Parties, Suggestions for 103 

Paste * 169 

Pasteboard Doll House 82 

Paste Stick 14 

Path Borders or Markers 39 

Pea Furniture 164 

Peanut Animals 23 

" Doll 80 

*' Party 103 

Pea Pod Boat 16 

Peas 16 

Peaswork , 164 

Pebbles 39 

Pegboard 160 

Pencil Box 43 

Pen Tray 67 

Penwiper 42 

Perforating or Pricking 133, 165 

Piano Scarf 41 

Picture Books 153 

Picture Frames 13, 44, 46 

Picture Story 78 

Pictures of Seedling 74 

Pigments 75 

Pincushion 41 

Pin Tray 41 

Place or Luncheon Cards, 76, 108, 113, 119, 121, 127, 130, 133 
134, 136 

Plays or Games 92 

Plays with Gifts 161 

Plumes for Hat 55 



i88 Index 

PAGE 

Poetry Books 123, 153 

Pop-corn Balls 22 

Pop-corn Chains or Festoons 22, 139 

Portieres 21 

Post Fence 19, 160 

Potato Horse 17 

" Race 94 

Pressed Leaves 47 

Pressed Morning Glories 51 

Pricking 133, 165 

Prism 75 

Prunes 27 

Pulley, Toy 71 

Pumpkin Basket or Center Piece 135 

Races 94 

Racing Tag 93 

Raffia 45 

Rafts 19, 36 

Rag Doll 82 

Raisins 27 

Ramekin Dishes 41 

Reading 123, 133, 140, 177 

Red Pepper Lantern 24 

Reins 46 

Ring Toss 97 

Road Roller, Spool 71 

Rockets, Imitation 127 

Room Decorations 132, 135 

Rope and Sandbag loi 

Rose-haw Chains or Rosaries 51 

Rosettes 126 

Rug Design 'j'] 

Rugs 90 

Sailboat 23, 36, 173 

St, Patrick's Day 119 

" " " Dinner 120 

St. Valentine's Day no 

" " Dinner 112 

Salt 34 

Salt Dishes 41 

Sand 178 

Sand Table 178 



Index 189 



PAGE 



Saved from the Scrap Basket 53 

Scales, Toy 88 

Scent Bag 170 

Scissors, Drawing 72 

Scrap Books 68 

Screen, Toy or Miniature 63, 122 

Second Gift Plays 157, 158 

Second Gift Beads 159 

Seedling, Drawing of 74 

Seed-markers 11 

Seeds 27 

Seventh Gift, Tablets 162 

Sewing 165 

Sewing Basket, The 69 

Shadow Game 52 

Shamrock 119 

Shells 40 

Shields 127 

Snowball 137 

Snowflakes 59 

Soap 31 

Soap Box Doll House 84 

Soldiers Caps, etc 55 

Soldier-Flowers, Milkweed 51 

Spiderweb Party 104 

" Valentine iii 

Spinning Buttons 69, 70 

Sponge Garden 120 

Spools 70 

Squash Animals 17 

Squash Seed Chicken 29 

Stained Glass Windows 77 

Sticks, Kindergarten 156, 162 

Stones and Pebbles 39 

Stove, Toy 86 

Strawberry Boxes 11 

Straws 51 

Stringing 21, 27, 51, 69, 136 

Sugar Scoop 174 

Suggestions for Parties 103 

Sun and Shadow 52 

Sunday-School Helps 154 

Surprise Walnuts 23 

Sweeping 147 



190 Index 



PAGE 

Sweet Potato Animals 17 

Sweet Potato Vine 45 

Swimming Float Zl 

Swing, Omnibus loi 

Table Serving 143 

Table Setting 142 

Tablets, Kindergarten 162 

Tag 92 

Tailless Kite 60 

Target, Spool 70 

Tearing Paper 54 

Telephone Toy, for Doll House 87 

Tents, Paper 116 

Thanksgiving 133 

Thimble Biscuit Party 104 

Threading Needles • 72 

Tiling, Doll House 85 

Tin Cans 34 

Tin-foil 35 

Top 70, 75, 11 

Tower Target, Spool 70 

Toy Vegetables 40 

Transparency 47 

Transparent Papers 75 

Tree-Boxes 70 

Tunnel, Paper 172 

Turnip Basket 45 

Turtle 27 

Umbrella, Toy 167 

Valentine Party Dinner 112 

Valentines no 

Vegetable Animals 17 

Vegetables 45 

*' Toy 40 

Wagon 14, 2>'2- 

Walnut Boats 23 

" Surprise 23 

Washing 146 

Washbench, Cardboard 174 

Washington's Birthday 113 



Index 191 

PAGE 

Water-color Cups 40 

Water, Imitation 31 

Waxed Leaves 47 

Weaving 90, 169 

Weighing Honey 103 

Wheels 14, 32, 35 

Windows ^T, 87 

Wishbone Doll 80 

Work Box 175 

Worsted Mats 90 

Yarn Doll 81 



OCT SS i90S 



L'gRARY OF CONGRESS 



10020 237 132 2 



